Table 2-3-3-3 shows the number of defendants sentenced to fine in the first instance (including summary orders) in 2002. Most of those sentenced to fine (83.8%) were for road traffic violations, followed by bodily injury caused by negligence (10.9%).
  The number of defendants sentenced to fine of less than ¥100,000 was 582,652, accounting for 68.5% of the total defendants sentenced to fine, and most of them (99.0%) were for road traffic violations.
  The number of those sentenced to fine of ¥200,000 or more largely increased from 69,823 in the previous year to 185,151. This is because the penal provisions for malicious and dangerous driving, etc. was strengthened through amendment to the Road Traffic Law (enforced in June 2002) and the upper limit of fine was raised accordingly (raised from ¥50,000 to ¥300,000 for driving while slightly drunk, from ¥100,000 to ¥500,000 for driving while intoxicated, and from ¥100,000 to ¥300,000 for driving without a license, respectively). The number of those sentenced to fine of ¥200,000 or more was only 968 in 2001 but was 104,455 in 2002.

Table 2-3-3-3 Fines inflicted in first instance, by type of offense (2002)