The Nagoya District Court sentenced a 36-year-old former truck driver Friday to 4 1/2 years in prison for dozing off at the wheel and causing an accident that killed four people and hurt 11.
Prosecutors had been seeking a five-year term for Saichi Natsume, who in June drove into a line of cars stuck in a traffic jam on the Tomei Expressway.
Judge Shinichiro Ito said Natsume's negligence was serious, and he lacked significant respect for traffic rules.
On June 23, Natsume fell asleep due to fatigue at around 11:10 a.m. while driving a large truck through the city of Shinshiro, Aichi Prefecture.
The truck hit the line of cars at a speed of about 90 kph.
The crash affected 12 vehicles, caused a fire, and resulted in the death of four people and the injury of 11.
Natsume had picked up cargo in Gifu Prefecture and was on his way to Shizuoka Prefecture.