An Unusual Case of Drunk Driving in Japan: Alcohol-Related Sleepwalking

Alcohol has been identified as a potential precipitating factor for parasomnia, particularly sleepwalking (SW). We report an unusual case of a Japanese drunk driver who may have experienced alcohol-related SW, based on the statements of the suspect, pharmacokinetic analyses of the suspect’s breath alcohol concentration, testimonies of witnesses, driving recorder data, and medical records. The existence of sleep-related criminal acts performed while a suspect experiences memory loss under the influence of alcohol has not been sufficiently recognized, and awareness of such acts should be raised among the police, public prosecutors, and the general public in Japan.