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Japanese skater faces fine for drink driving
Fri, Jul 27, 2007
Reuters

TOKYO, July 27 (Reuters) - A Japanese figure skater descended from the mighty 16th century warlord Nobunaga Oda has been pulled over for suspected drink-driving -- on a moped.

Police in Osaka are set to file papers citing 20-year-old Nobunari Oda for driving under the influence of alcohol to local prosecutors, a police official said on Friday.

Oda admitted to drinking two glasses of beer and a glass of distilled spirits at a restaurant on Thursday before being stopped on his moped at a police checkpoint.

"He was walking straight and he answered our questions in a frank manner," the official said, adding that a fine would be decided on in several weeks.

A tearful Oda held a news conference on Friday.

"Usually I have my mother come pick me up when I am drinking, but I didn't have my mobile phone," Oda said.

"It was quite late at 12:30 and I had mostly sobered up."

The university student "won" the 2005 Japanese championships before a computer glitch was spotted and he was demoted to second for having included too many combinations.

The Japan Skating Federation said in a statement that it was checking the facts and was considering disciplinary measures against Oda.

His great ancestor Oda Nobunaga conquered most of the country before his death in 1582.

(Writing by Alastair Himmer in Hanoi, Additional reporting by Chisa Fujioka in Tokyo)

 

 
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