Overview
- The initial jury trial opened Wednesday at Tokyo District Court, where defendant Yuki Watanabe, 42, denied charges of robbery that led to a death but admitted to multiple counts of special fraud.
- Watanabe told the court he only helped accomplices and that he did not conspire in three of the seven robbery incidents, while his lawyers argued his conduct amounted to assistance rather than leadership.
- Prosecutors read the indictment for about an hour, and Watanabe listened quietly on the witness stand and asked the judge questions about shown documents.
- The case sits alongside related proceedings: recruiter Tominobu Kojima has a final 20‑year term, co‑defendant Seiya Fujita received a life sentence at first instance and is appealing, and another senior suspect has yet to be tried.
- If the court finds Watanabe ordered crimes from the Philippines or played a directing role, he faces the gravest penalties under robbery‑death charges, a legal outcome that will hinge on proof of cross‑border command and the group’s role divisions.