crime

Man who stabbed woman to death because he 'wanted to kill someone' gets life in prison

30 Comments

A 21-year-old university student who stabbed a woman to death because he "wanted to kill someone" was sentenced to life in prison by the Saitama District Court on Wednesday.

The court heard that the defendant, Yusuke Numata, followed Sayaka Sato, a 21-year-old university student, after she left the convenience store in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, where she worked part-time, at around 10:45 p.m. last Oct 15, and stabbed her at least 30 times, Fuji TV reported. Sato was taken to hospital where she died a short time later.

Numata turned himself in to police at 1:20 a.m. the next morning and said he just wanted to kill someone and that anyone would do. He also told police where to find the knife he used.

Prosecutors said Numata purchased a knife with the intent to kill someone. During the trial, Numata said he didn't know Sato but had seen her in the convenience store before and thought she was cute.

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30 Comments
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Life in prison? Life in the 'funny farm' would be more appropriate.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Is 'life' in Japan actually the rest of the person's life? I hope so.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

These always seem the strangest crimes. The story of the young girl who beheaded a school mate comes to mind, she had a similar rationale. How common is this type of motive? Ghastly, but highly uncommon?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

About time. Still not long enough, though.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

He should meet the same end as his victim, and quickly.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

why should this idiot be allowed to live when he committed such a senseless crime? this unwritten rule in japan that the death penalty is only for multiple murders is ridiculous. bring this guy to the gallows ASAP.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

If life actually is life, then I think that's a worse punishment than killing him. Entire life in a Japanese prison? That would be horrible.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I propose selling robots, which can be customized to match the person they want to kill. Those who want see how it feels to kill someone, can buy one, and stab it! :D May be they can customize that Softbank robot for this.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

These people who want to kill "anyone" always seem to pick someone weaker and smaller than themselves. I hope this swine rots in jail for the rest of his life.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

These people who want to kill "anyone" always seem to pick someone weaker and smaller than themselves

Exactly. I don't get it either. Why would someone want kill another person they thought "cute"?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

dead penalty, life sentenced in prison, waste tax payer money

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

He'll probably be out back on the streets when he is in his 50's. Life in prison does not mean that it is without the possibility of parole.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Wc626, Oh I don't know, insanity?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Perhaps he'll meet someone inside who also wants to kill someone...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

He'll probably be out back on the streets when he is in his 50's. Life in prison does not mean that it is without the possibility of parole.

based on what proof? and links to back up this assertion?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

nakanoguy01Oct. 08, 2015 - 03:27PM JST based on what proof? and links to back up this assertion?

Based on common practice? Currently "life" in Japan means around 35 years before a possible parole hearing. But the law says "at least ten", so he could theoretically be out in his 50s.

http://www.mukicyoueki.jp/parole.html

1 ( +1 / -0 )

How ironic that the current survey question asks if you support the death penalty. This 20-year old piece of garbage who snuffed out the life of another 20 year old student because he wanted to kill someone will now likely live for the next sixty or seventy years in prison where he will get three meals a deal, a bath and a warm place to sleep. Average citizens who are worried about the coming collapse of Nenkin/Social Security will pay for him. How nice.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Leave him alone in a locked room with the girl's family and several baseball bats... that would be justice.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Really! What purposeful role in society can this deranged person ever have. Give him a rope on his first night.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"Numata... had seen her before...thought she was cute... and stabbed her at least 30 times"

I am not going to say anything more because the moderator will only remove the comment...

RIP Sayaka Sato!! :-(

1 ( +2 / -1 )

What is wrong with Japan? This isn't the first case of someone commiting murder because they didn't want to live in Japanese society. Something is deeply wrong in this country.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Actually life in prison for killing one person seems quite rare here. Only other time I could think of was Ichihashi's conviction.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

'Never to be released' should be marked on his file. If he is relatively physically healthy and now only 21, he could then spend 60 or more years in prison. That would be a suitable punishment.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He does not deserve to be fed by our tax money for the coming few years ...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

based on what proof? and links to back up this assertion?

Assertion? Facts, and Magnus was kind enough to find you one link explaining it. Currently there is no law allowing "life without parole"

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Assertion? Facts, and Magnus was kind enough to find you one link explaining it. Currently there is no law allowing "life without parole"

Actually no. Your assertion that he'll be out by the age of 50's is also wrong.

http://www.geocities.jp/masakari5910/satsujinjiken_muki_keiki.html

There are 1843 "life imprisonment" and less than half a percent gets out on parole. Don't know where Magnus Roe got an average of 35 years before parole hearing but if he/she is basing on the average length time of imprisonment as a basis, it's deceiving since prisoners during the term dies. As far as Muki Choeki is concerned, it's a defacto life in prison with harsh labor without parole.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

A textbook psychopath.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Actually no. Your assertion that he'll be out by the age of 50's is also wrong.

Actually yes, there is no law "defacto" otherwise that has life without parole. He'll get parole.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Actually yes, there is no law "defacto" otherwise that has life without parole. He'll get parole.

What part of "less than half a percent" do you not understand? To make it simple, that's one out of 200. What makes you so sure that this particular individual "get parole"?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Unfortunately this is a life sentence in a Japanese prison, that won't do at all, it should have been a American prison, the type where you get a lot of big male inmates, than at the very least, we could rest assured that his butt would have been gapped to a point where it resembles that of an Mug-holder. Alas, what a pity.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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