Osaka man gets 5 1/2 years for dropping 3-yr-old boy from pedestrian bridge

Wednesday 10th December, 01:20 PM JST

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likeitis at 01:57 PM JST - 10th December

I see no reason to send this guy to prison at all. He should be locked in a mental facility until God takes him, whether that is 5 years 6 months, 56 years or 560 years. No reason to give him any opportunity to repeat this or anything similar.
LocalBoy at 02:03 PM JST - 10th December

In Hawaii we had a similar incident & the guy was of diminished capacity. But I can guarentee you that he will not see freedom for the rest of his life. Handicapped or not, he is a danger to society, period
pointofview at 02:13 PM JST - 10th December

It`s very sad that so many individuals suffer from disabilities in this world.
Disillusioned at 03:12 PM JST - 10th December

It's ridiculous to think this lunatic will be back on the streets in 5.5 years or less and will have the same grudge that lead him to justify this cruel act. No mention of rehab or being institutionalized. He should not be in prison. He should be institutionalized for the rest of his life so he has no chance of doing this kind of thing again. The amount of dastardly and despicable crimes against children in this country make me sick to my stomach!
FreeInJapan at 03:18 PM JST - 10th December

Please tell me the 3 year old boy wasn't walking alone, would just make this incident worse...

Agree that the sentence is a bit refreshing as the word "suspended" wasn't thrown in too, but I would hope that the prison stay would be followed up with a looooong stay in a mental facility.
ptolemy at 03:36 PM JST - 10th December

Enjoy your new roomies scum bag. I'm sure they're going to like some fresh meat. Anyone who hurts a child deserves a nice long plunge on a short rope.
burro at 04:32 PM JST - 10th December

Great so in one year this nutter will be out (one year served, half the sentence for good behavior).

The mental aspect should not be an issue - he's guilty so exercise the explicit purpose of having prisons: puish & protect.
borscht at 05:03 PM JST - 10th December

FreeinJapan,

He wasn't. He was with his mother but the Osaka man grabbed and tossed before anyone could react. This guy really needs to be somewhere they can help him with his "intellectual disability" for a long, long time.
Potsu at 05:50 PM JST - 10th December

Can't wait for another 6 years when he's out and actually kills someone,the reaction should be priceless.
BBLeo at 07:51 PM JST - 10th December

He should be locked up in 'mental institution' with shrinks for a very long time. Jail will not fix him up; instead he will become bigger criminal when he comes out. Just wait and see you will hear his name again after five years holidaying.
northlondon at 08:09 PM JST - 10th December

as he wanted to be arrested in order to sever his relations with people at a facility to support handicapped people

That doesn't sound very intellectually disabled now does it ? If he is smart enough to work out that an arrest would get him out of the facility, then how can he have mental incompetence ? And it was just pure luck that the poor kid wasn't killed. So what will happen in 5 years time ? Will they just set him free ?
likeitis at 08:18 PM JST - 10th December

Disillusioned--The amount of dastardly and despicable crimes against children in this country make me sick to my stomach!

Are you arguing that crime against kids is more here than most other places? Are you arguing that kids have it tough here? How did you get those ideas? There may not be strong Japanese sentiments about protecting kids shouted while stomping a foot, or much of any strong Japanese sentiments about anything, but for all the strong western sentiments I can't say we are better off in the statistics.
meanmutha at 08:34 PM JST - 10th December

more than likely the lad will get him back when the time is right.
Ah_so at 10:26 PM JST - 10th December

more than likely the lad will get him back when the time is right.

No, meanmutha, it is highly unlikely.

The case here is that the guy is either sane and guilty of attempted murder, resulting in life in prison, or he is criminally insane, resulting in life in a secure hospital.

Being mentally imabalanced should not mean that you get to roam the streets after a few years and so be in a position to commit the same crime again.
usaexpat at 06:49 AM JST - 11th December

5.5 years for attempted murder seems like a pretty short penalty. People get that for theft back home.