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Japan executes man who killed seven people in 2008
Tomohrio Kato has been executed in Japan for a stabbing rampage he went on 14 years ago
Japan has executed a 39-year-old man who killed seven people in 2008.
Tomohrio Kato went on a stabbing spree in one of the most shocking mass murders in the country. After killing seven people, he drove a truck into pedestrians at Akihabara shopping district, injuring 10.
The then 25-year-old was apprehended by police at the scene and later admitted his crimes in his trial. At the scene he told authorities “I came to Akihabara to kill people. It didn’t matter who I’d kill.”
He reportedly documented his trip to the shopping district on online bulletin boards, commenting on his unstable job and loneliness.
Justice Minister, Yoshihisa Furukawa, said the killer had done “meticulous preparation” for the attack, with a “strong intent” to kill.
He told reporters, “the death sentence in this case was finalised through sufficient deliberation in court.”
It is the country’s first execution for the year, and follows three killings in December.
Japan is the only G7 member that still enforces the death penalty in some cases.
It’s understood more than 100 people remain on death row across the nation.
