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a court in Japan has sentenced a person to death Four people killed by stabbing and firing In 2023, it rejected the defense’s argument that he was suffering from a serious mental disorder.
Masanori Aoki, 34, was convicted of stabbing two women and two police officers to death on a street in Nakano city, Nagano Prefecture, in the summer of 2023.
Aoki had long believed that two women – 66-year-old Yuki Murakami and 70-year-old Yasuko Takeuchi – had vilified him, calling him “lonely” and “creepy”. He attacked them with a knife as they were walking down the street, then shot the responding police officers with a hunting rifle.
The Nagano District Court said Aoki “stole precious lives” by killing four people, describing his actions as “extremely cruel.”
Presiding Judge Masashi Sakata said, “This was a brutal crime in which four precious lives were taken away based on a strong intent to kill.”
“The consequences of his actions were indeed grave and extremely cruel,” the court said.
The defense cited a psychiatric evaluation to argue that Aoki suffered from an illness that diminished his ability to distinguish between right and wrong.
Prosecutors acknowledged that Aoki experienced hallucinations, but said he committed the murders out of anger and was aware of his actions. He also said he showed “extraordinary cruelty and ruthlessness” during the May 2023 attack.
The attack unfolded dramatically as Aoki, wearing a camouflage outfit, hat, sunglasses and mask, chased the women down the street and stabbed them. He then used a hunting rifle to shoot and kill police officers Takuo Ikeuchi, 61, and Yoshiki Tamai, 46, who had arrived at the scene.
The suspect later barricaded himself inside his father’s house with his mother and aunt for at least 12 hours.
During the standoff, TV footage showed police wearing bulletproof vests and carrying shields, with an ambulance at the ready. Police sealed a 300-meter radius around the house, while city officials urged residents of the quiet farming area to stay at home or go to an evacuation center, where about 80 people had reportedly taken shelter.
Aoki is believed to be the eldest son of Nakano City Assembly Speaker Masamichi Aoki.
are violent crimes Rare in Japan due to strict gun control laws, Which allows citizens to possess hunting rifles and airguns only for protection against animal attacks. However, in recent years, some high-profile cases involving random stabbings and arson have raised concerns about public safety and domestic weapons.
The quadruple murder prompted authorities to tighten firearms regulations, making it harder for people to possess “half-rifles” – the type of gun Aoki used in the attack.