Tomohiro Kato, the maniac who in 2008 used a knife and a truck to conduct a bloody slaughter in Akihabara, slaying 7 and wounding a further 10, has finally been sentenced to death.
Kato himself reportedly had a difficult upbringing, having been treated very harshly by his parents, leading into a troubled adulthood, which finally culminated in at least one suicide attempt.
His murderous spree was premeditated, having seen him come all the way from his home Shizuoka, selling possessions in order to buy knives and rent a truck, and he freely admitted the crime whilst making no attempt to avoid capture or detection, even posting warnings about the impending crime.
The crime itself was apparently a variation on “suicide by cop,” having been prompted by him believing that he was about to be fired from his job as a despatch worker, and a general sense of despair over his belief that he was an ugly loser in dire financial straits.
Courts subsequently ruled he was fit to stand trial, and after a lengthy trial found him guilty and sentenced him to death – a largely foregone conclusion, with Japan reserving the death penalty for mass murderers whose guilt is in no doubt.
Throughout the trial Kato has offered little direct insight into what his motivations were, failing to respond even when the final sentence was handed down.
As might be expected from a nation which took 3 years to sentence a spree killer, whether he ultimately dies of old age on death row or actually makes it to the gallows is hard to predict.
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Do all Japanese police learn kendo? xD
Not all, but it is a very popular sport with Japanese Cops. I think it's because they are trained to use extenable Night Sticks as their primary weapon as Guns are only carried by specially trained officer's and detectives.
What can we say, the shinsengumi spirit lives on.
The problem? Those cops are as scrawny and as thin as any other Japanese civilian.
As for the hanging, good on him. Won't miss him.
"lengthy trial"? Only Three years is lengthy trial?
wow...
_
To kill an serial Murderer in America can take up to one or two DECADES! He may rot in prison now, but he's to be hanged if there's no appeal that is.
_
Not as fast as the chinocs though~
Remember that Mass killing of murderers with a rifle round in the noggins? A dozen I think~
lol, unless you're a trained fighter, overwhelming odds are those "scrawny" cops would beat your ass. =P
nah, you can said so, cuz you never had sparring with those thin cops
They learn it when they're practicing how to blow their whistles, duh!
you forgot to add that even if you have a gun, you aren't allowed to use it even in self defense otherwise you may as well kiss you career goodbye.
fact, the japanese are a mostly ball-less people, thanks to a nuclear vasectamy. not allowed to carry guns, weapons or knives. Partially from the old samurai/feudal laws partially cuz when America occupied we heavily influenced their constitution and laws and didnt want a bunch of sword weilding die hards running around
they are very small(slighlty taller than there parents but still small). Im good size guy (black 6'1 190lbs) but I may as well be 6'4 225 compared to the general populace.
And finally they are soo damn sensitive with everyone trying not to offend someone else.
This is probably Cops getting to me but I think all police should be encouraged to learn some form of armed and unarmed combat.
Call upon the Holy Grey Knight Terminators, the retributional fist of the God Emperor!!!
Well, the Japanese cops do. They learn aikido...
If the shit hits the fan, they'll start calling up their Terminators to do the dirty work.
Hmm, I thought regular officers carry guns while detectives do not.
They all also learn aikido.
Kendo is fun k?
I thought it was a fishing pole. >_> I was confused to say the least.
hahaha, i thought it was a fishing pole too! It would had been extremely hilarious and crazy...
...actually I wish it to be a fishing thing. XD
And I thought that officer was the stabber!
so it would seem
I guess they have to learn it as a part of their duty. Just like security officers need to learn tonfa techniques, at least here where I live.
At the rate cops get their thumbs severed, probably not.
And don't forget how long it took the police to take down that fat naked guy who went for a swim in the Emperor's moat...
Maybe some yari training would be more appropriate. There'll be less severed limb incidents for cops.
I think one of the very recent all Japan kendo champions was a police officer.
Justice is served, with a cold meal covered in the sauce of bitterness in this case.
I pity this guy.
Well, he had bullshit life and tried to take suicide. Then he just went mad and stuff. As I read it. I suppose it's fine enough for me to fullfill what he tried to do first.
I pity those he has killed and maimed. I'd say we fry his ass in a giant cauldron.
Violence only begets more violence child. LEARN what the implications of that opinion advocates before typing it next time.
To do that you'd have to pretty much end up killing everyone.
It doesn't beget violence if you kill everyone who would want revenge.
seems about right.. to me if you take someones life you should be sentenced to death that would make a more civilized nation and will keep people in check and aim to do the right thing!
Couldn't be more wrong. Do you have any idea how many innocent people are on death row?
Lots.
Although Japan's rules concerning this seem spot on...
Which country?
well if they were dead wouldn't it be better for em instead of getting buttraped everyday lol
Well that's the problem of countries handing out death penalties too easily.
That's not civilized at all. It's a primitive act called revenge. Are YOU SERIOUSLY implying that emotional revenge is sophisticated? Seriously?! Wow... as an MD in sociology and psychology we should talk. I'd love to see what makes your head tick.
Honestly I can understand his position. If you live your life believing that you treat people how you yourself wish to be treated then this person should be stabbed and hit by a truck.
If you are really a sociology and psychology MD then you will fully understand why people feel this way, most people feel the punishment should fit the crime and those same people feel that when someone is convicted of murder life in prison is not an equal punishment.
On a non emotional and practical level, why should the Japanese people pay for this person to live the rest of his life in jail? I know in the US is costs over $100,000 a year to house a prisoner, and if you know this guy is guilty and never getting out then why keep him as a burden on the people?
Actually it's $36,000 a year for maximum security and is a good example as to why non violent offenders should not go to prison.
Still even at that high a cost often housing a prisoner for life is cheaper then trying to getting the death penalty as these sorta of trials often go on for years.
In the US the average execution including court fees is 1.7 Million.
The system sometimes makes mistakes all systems do so any trial with a death penalty is necessarily a drawn out affair as you must be absolutely certain of guilt or risk executing an innocent person which has happened in the past.
They should have a Battle Royalee sort of explosive collar. As long as it receives signal from prison towers then it won't explode in five minutes. In the case of tower malfunction there are mobile transmitters that can be activated. Tampering will cause explosion.
Cut down on security costs that way. Perhaps convert all the prison ground into farmlands. I don't understand why they have muscle training gyms in prisons that basically allow prisoners to beef themselves up for outside life.
I thought learned people were supposed to be understanding.
You're the one being emotional. I'm a little torn on this subject. My emotions tell me that it's wrong to take a life no matter what, but logically, there is no way it could be safe to release him and no use for him to live in jail. Death is less a punishment (seems like what he wanted) and more like getting rid of a problem.
You are just not being creative enough about it. There are many good uses for dangerous prisoners if you ask me.
Should just behead him with a sword...
Really, at least according to Wikipedia they haven't even executed Shoko Asahara yet... Y'know, da "Guru of Gas"...
I can't be the only one that think it's funny that the guy's name is Kato.
Hahaha, now that you mention it :D
I quess I've been reading too many news about Japan to not to think possible homonymes anymore.
Killing some lone deranged wierdo is neither going to prevent more people to go on a murderspree nor bring back the ones he killed.
Its only revenge and a nation that calls itself civilized should stand above these kind of notions or its as bad (or even worse) as the murderers its sentencing to death...
I am a bit surprised at the primitive method being employed.
I would have expected something more modern and painless such as the gas chamber or lethal injection.
he should be hospitalized and all attempts made to rehabilitate him. the lone knifeman is not rational, sane? maybe, maybe not. if the state considers itself (as it does) the arbiter of morality then it must act always with sanity and rationality. the carefully meditated decision to take a human life when that human poses no immediate danger is neither rational nor sane. the state wants revenge because the state is morally and ideologically corrupt.
Yeah im so fucking happy that my hard earned money goes to some fucked up murder i wonder what will you say if someone kill your loved ones brutaly .
BTW its funny someone who visit this site and saying that something isnt civilized hahahaha so funny.
Death sentences. Just hate them. Shifting blame is just so much easier, isn't it?
singapore sees it as cost effective and it does also acts as an example. instilling fear through law and order has kept people in check for decades....
you call yourself pirateking then use the word civilized? hohoho, twat