The wreckage of a car crashed in a multiple pileup on the Meishin Expressway in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, on Nov. 13 that killed seven Brazilians.

The seven were killed when a heavy truck smashed into their minivan, which had turned over on its side after another truck hit it from behind, police officials said.

Police arrested Takehiro Matsuzaki, 39, from Kyoto Prefecture, who drove the truck that killed the seven.

The seven men, aged between 18 and 32, had worked at a factory in Hino, Shiga Prefecture. They had been out for a drive at the time of the accident, according to police.

Police said a heavy truck initially hit the rear of the minivan on the expressway, causing the minivan to overturn and slide onto the shoulder.

A passenger car and a minivehicle stopped just after the heavy truck, but Matsuzaki, in a bid to avoid the pileup, which occurred in the left lane, veered to the right and collided with two buses in the right lane. His truck then ricocheted hitting the passenger car, minivehicle and the minivan, according to police.

A total of 50 passengers were aboard the two buses involved, but none was injured.

The Japan Times Weekly: Nov. 19, 2005
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