The House of Councilors on Wednesday approved amendments to the Road Traffic Law that include heavier penalties and an extension of the validity of driver's licenses to five years from the current three.
Most provisions in the revised law, which has already cleared the House of Representatives, will go into effect within a year.
Under the revised law, drivers involved in hit-and-run accidents will face a maximum of five years in prison or up to 500,000 yen in fines, increased from the current maximum of threeyears or 200,000 yen.