The National Police Agency said Friday that 54 people died in traffic accidents during the Jan. 1-3 New Year's holidays, up by seven from the same period last year.
In the latest tally, 25 people were killed Tuesday, 14 on Wednesday and 15 on Thursday.
By prefecture, Osaka posted the highest number of deaths with five, followed by Tokyo, Kanagawa and Hyogo with four each.
The NPA said 87 people were killed in traffic accidents in the last three days of 2001, down six from the corresponding period the year before.
Police wound up a four-day nationwide crackdown on reckless driving, mainly by "bosozoku" bikers and hot-rodders, that started on New Year's Eve.
They questioned 1,414 motorcyclists on suspicion of Road Traffic Law violations. a decrease of 81 from the same period a year before, and arrested 52 of them, down 40.
There were 6,467 bosozoku reported on the road during the four-day period, 3,421 fewer than a year earlier. Such incidents involved 3,493 vehicles, down by 1,636, police said.