A Japanese court has sentenced to death a man who killed four people in a shooting and stabbing attack in 2023, rejecting the defense's argument that he has schizophrenia.
Masanori Aoki, now 34, stabbed two women who were taking a walk in the town of Nakano and then shot two police officers – who arrived on the scene after an emergency call – with a shotgun.
Gun violence is rare in Japan, which has strict gun laws. Even rarer is the shooting of multiple police officers. The last such incident occurred more than thirty years ago.
The defense had argued that a life sentence was more appropriate for Aoki, who has “diminished capacity” due to schizophrenia.
Prosecutors agreed that Aoki had been delusional, but argued that he committed the killings in a fit of rage and could tell right from wrong at the time.
They also said Aoki had shown “exceptional cruelty and cold-bloodedness,” according to the Japan Times.
Aoki, who was reportedly wearing a camouflage uniform, hat, sunglasses and a mask, allegedly attacked the women because he believed they were badmouthing him, the Mainichi newspaper reported. It is not clear whether he knew the women.
After the attack, Aoki hid in his parents' home in Nakano town for 12 hours before surrendering to police. His father, Masamichi Aoki, is the chairman of the town meeting.
Before Masanori Aoki's arrest, residents were told to stay at home, while local authorities shared updates via email and on neighborhood loudspeakers, while police went door to door.
Japan has strict gun ownership regulations and only allows citizens to own shotguns and air rifles. People must pass an exam and mental health tests in Japan to purchase a gun.
After the quadruple murders, authorities tightened laws to make it more difficult to own “half guns” – a shotgun like the one Aoki used.
It is also the strict rules that make these types of incidents, and the fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, so shocking.
