A flower is placed at the scene of the hit-and-run in Matsuo, Chiba Prefecture.

Tanaka allegedly crashed into four men and four women at night in the town of Matsuo, and fled the scene in his car. They were walking along the road after attending a class reunion at a restaurant. Three men and one woman, all 59, were killed and the rest were injured in the accident.

Tanaka allegedly told police he had drunk "a cup of sake" that evening before getting behind the wheel to head home.

His license had been suspended for 90 days Dec. 7, police said.

Tanaka, a construction worker, admitted that he was aware of hitting "something," but he "was not sure whether it was a human or not," police quoted him as saying.

The Japan Times Weekly: Feb. 12, 2005
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