Gunma Prefectural Police chief Kohei Chiyonobu (Mainichi/Hinako Kikuchi)

       MAEBASHI -- The head of Gunma Prefectural Police accidentally drove a passenger car into a 30-year-old mountain restoration worker taking a break on a forest road in this east Japan city on Sept. 23 -- right in the middle of the national traffic safety campaign period.

       According to the prefectural police's traffic guidance division, Gunma Prefectural Police chief Kohei Chiyonobu, 50, was driving his private car while off duty when he hit a man who was reportedly sitting on the left side of the road at around 12:05 p.m. The worker suffered minor injuries including a bruise on his left arm. Chiyonobu was unhurt.

       Chiyonobu said, "I would like to express my sympathies and apologies to the injured victim. I am very sorry that I caused an accident in my position as chief." The autumn national traffic safety campaign ending Sept. 30 was underway after having started on Sept. 21.

       (Japanese original by Takashi Kawachi, Maebashi Bureau)

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