Yet another Japanese Child killed on the road

11-year-old dies after being hit by dump truck; driver arrested

Japan, at about 50%, has an abnormally high rate of pedestrian and cyclist deaths as a percentage of all fatalities involving motor vehicles - and too large of a percentage of this number are children.

According to the World Health Organization there are about 6500 road fatalities every year in Japan.

http://www.who.int/violenceinjuryprevention/roadsafetystatus/2013/country_profiles/japan.pdf?ua=1

For a country with an aging population and falling birthrate you would think everything would be done to preserve and protect life - especially the lives of it`s young people.  

This Japan Times article from a couple year`s back explains the situation well.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2012/05/13/national/media-national/road-death-stats-hide-the-truth/#.VRPp9LkcTIU
If the government`s excuse for not building safer streets is that it's too expensive or that it would inconvenience drivers, then what they are essentially saying is that they do not value life.