Overview

• Presiding Judge Masashi Sakata described the murders as extremely cruel and driven by a strong intent to kill.
• The court found that Aoki fatally stabbed neighbors Yasuko Takeuchi, 70, and Yukie Murakami, 66, while they were walking in Nakano on May 25, 2023.
• Responding police officers Yoshiki Tamai, 46, and Takuo Ikeuchi, 61, were also killed, with the ruling citing the use of a knife and a hunting gun.
• Prosecutors argued Aoki was fully competent and sought capital punishment, while the defense claimed diminished capacity related to delusional disorder and schizophrenia.
• The court dismissed a defense call for a life sentence after a lay judge trial that centered on Aoki’s criminal responsibility.