World Scene: Japan

Firefighter driving unlicensed

A firefighter in Japan lost his job after city officials found out he had been driving ambulances and firetrucks for more than 20 years without a driver's license, an official in Takaoka City, central Japan, said yesterday.

The case came to light when the firefighter in his 40s, who had been working for the city for more than 25 years, hesitated to show his driver's license during a regular inspection last week, said Shigeru Sawasaki, a Takaoka City official.