Man sentenced to death for Kyoto Animation arson attack

I think certain extreme, particulary heinous crimes warrant the death penalty.

This is definitely one of them.

I think certain extreme, particulary heinous crimes warrant the death penalty.

The crime defines the criminal, but the punishment defines the society that impose it. You are arguing that particularly heinous crimes justify devolving the progress of society a couple centuries.

Justice prevails.

There is no way the Japanese taxpayer should have to support this mass murderer to the tune of hundreds of millions of yen for decades.

I hope the monsters hanging gives a little closure and affirmation of justice to the hundreds of people whose lives he destroyed.

Rest in Peace to the innocent 36.

virusrexToday  04:50 pm JST

I think certain extreme, particulary heinous crimes warrant the death penalty.

The crime defines the criminal, but the punishment defines the society that impose it. You are arguing that particularly heinous crimes justify devolving the progress of society a couple centuries.

YES!

There is no way the Japanese taxpayer should have to support this mass murderer to the tune of hundreds of millions of yen for decades.

It is not irrational to think people would support a measure that shows their society is civilized instead of promoting death, violence and revenge as valid ways to solve a problem. And from where did you take the "hundreds of millions" number?

According to the Japanese Ministry of Justice the average cost for an inmate in a prison is 2179 yen.

https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001409459.pdf

That is 800,000 yen/year, 8 million a decade, to get to the point of expending "hundreds of millions of yen" you would need for the criminal to stay in prison at least 250 years.

The Kyoto District Court on Thursday sentenced to death the perpetrator of a 2019 arson attack on an animation studio that killed 36 people

A just and fair verdict. Sometimes compassion for the criminal torture for the victims and society in general. This is such a case.

Good. I call this "taking out the garbage".

What Aoba did was barbaric.

The death penalty is barbaric.

Two wrongs do not make a right.

Nothing justifies capital punishment, and capital punishment solves nothing.

Well done to the court! Excellent outcome. I hope he gets killed the most painful way possible, and suffers long time before dying. I am more concerned of sufferings of victims, not the horrible killers.

He’s only 45. Let him suffer prison life until he dies naturally.

Its a fallacy to believe you save taxpayer money by executing prisoners.

Great news. Unfortunately he had a lot of supporters in yesterday’s article about his tough life. Where are all his supporters today?

@virusrex

Ordinarily, I’m not a supporter of the death penalty but when you murder 36 completely innocent people in such a cruel and horrifying way, and you are clearly guilty of the crime, you have forfeited your right to be dealt with by a justice system in any other way.

He will join another 106 death row inmates. There are 17 women. Japan's last execution took place on July 26, 2022, when Tomohiro Kato was hanged for killing seven people in a 2008 attack in Tokyo.

Given his condition will he kept in a cell or a hospital?

"Even if he gets the death penalty, Naomi and others won't come back. I feel empty," said the woman, whose husband died a month before the first hearing.

Given his condition, I'd say a hospital.

“According to the Japanese Ministry of Justice the average cost for an inmate in a prison is 2179 yen.”

Why don’t you take him in and feed him for the rest of his life?

Not only did he kill 36, the victims' families and friends have to live the rest of their lives with this. On top of that, the many who witnessed this also have to live with the trauma. I really wish that people here commenting would have more sympathy for the victims than whining about saving an evil mass murderer.

Great news..

Well deserved..

Justice prevails..

GO JAPAN!!..

The right decision. But why did it take five years?

Ordinarily, I’m not a supporter of the death penalty but when you murder 36 completely innocent people in such a cruel and horrifying way, and you are clearly guilty of the crime, you have forfeited your right to be dealt with by a justice system in any other way.

If only this were applied to the psychos responsible for the murder of millions in wars and state terrorism, perhaps we would have the perfect deterrent and give peace a chance.

Good. Don't leave this filth on death row too long. The trash needs taking out.

Bob Fosse...

Its a fallacy to believe you save taxpayer money by executing prisoners

In the US that is true. But other countries don't hang around enriching parasitic lawyers.

Mass indiscriminate murderer.

He is getting off easy.

Throughout humankinds history this kind of crime towards your fellowmen usually doesnt result in 3 meals a day and a civil ending.

Ordinarily, I’m not a supporter of the death penalty but when you murder 36 completely innocent people in such a cruel and horrifying way, and you are clearly guilty of the crime, you have forfeited your right to be dealt with by a justice system in any other way.

Again, the penalty for criminals is a reflection not on the crimes but on the people that allow that penalty, you are arguing that someone that does something atrocious enough can pull back society back to their level and force it to justify violence and death as a tool. It is not important what rights the criminal forfeits, the important part is what social advances (brought with huge efforts) is the public forfeiting.

I really wish that people here commenting would have more sympathy for the victims than whining about saving an evil mass murderer.

The arguments are not about saving or forgiving the criminal, but not allowing the crimes to bring down the social advances. Nothing about that requires for victims to be ignored, there are many things that can be done to help them that do not require justifying killing as a convenient tool.

It is simply not good to promote and satisfy feelings of violence and revenge from the victims, modern human societies have much more positive and productive ways to help them than killing other people to make them feel better.

Amazing how quickly some of the most vocal critics of the Japanese judicial system now suddenly become fans of it due to the death penalty.

"I didn't think so many people would die, and now I think I went too far," Aoba told the Kyoto District Court 

Not ONE person should have died, let alone 36, you piece of gutter trash.

and for what?

Forget death row, just dump this sorry excuse in the middle of the ocean and let nature take its course.

Death penalty is for wimps and sadists. Revenge is not justice, it’s demonic.

I'm certainly no psychologist, but it baffles me how anybody could do something so heinous, and NOT be insane.

I mean, why bother wearing a mask at this point?

Executing the man won't solve a thing, nor will it bring back the dead. May as well be standing outside the courthouse with pitchforks and torches and screaming for blood. Killing him is still murder and cheering for it also heinous. And finally, you're just giving this guy one more thing he probably wants.

Do those who call for the abolition of the death penalty think that life imprisonment is appropriate for criminals like him?

Since the culprit wants the death penalty, shouldn't it be given?

I get tired of hearing the arguments of people who have no consideration for the feelings of victims.

Maybe a public execution?

Ok, J society has moved on from such spectacle.

To understand the need for retribution, the ultimate punishment, for the families of the deceased to witness first hand, the last gasp, the full process of execution. The guilty led sometime dragged begging for mercy.

Mercy so callously deprived the 46 victims and their families

Be open, if a family member sister, brother, father, mother, suffered under such circumstance, burned to death, then how would you mentally address oneself to such loss, day in day out?

Is then capital punishment a moment of reconciliation, an eye for am eye?

Something to sleep on?

36 sorry

Aoba killed, and one killing is one loss too many!!

"I didn't think so many people would die, and now I think I went too far," Aoba told the Kyoto District Court when the trial opened in September.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

So glad to know that he burned himself quite well.

Too much wasted money.

Quite disturbing how many here have a blood lust for revenge rather than justice. It’s a bad trait that humans need to remove from their mindsets.

For all those who are cheering for this man getting the death penalty are no better than the action he made, and clearly when he was mentally unstable this assessment made by a licensed doctor who only got to meet him after police interrogation where there is no lawyer representation in Japan when this is being done. This licensed doctor was only able to make this assessment when the man was being transported and there were no law enforcements in the vicinity.

What is not being reported did this man have any previous crimes? Had this man been treated for any mental disability? There are so many unreported facts about this man and his life. There is no condoning his actions and the loss of life he created, however, in the same breath ALL FACTS should be reported before taking his life. The old saying 2 wrongs don't make a right.

@BertieWooster, due process of law.

He killed 36 people in a most horrific way.

Sometimes two wrongs do make a right.

Quite disturbing how many here have a blood lust for revenge rather than justice. It’s a bad trait that humans need to remove from their mindsets.

Yes, I quite agree. While the sentence is inevitable (there cannot really be any other outcome), it is a tragady for everyone.

There is no way the Japanese taxpayer should have to support this mass murderer to the tune of hundreds of millions of yen for decades.

He will probably spend decades on death row, (costing hundreds of millions of yen ? ).

The article say he was initially charged with 5 murders, but in fact he murdered 30+ people was he charged with more murders afterwards? If not he should be, and also the attempted murder of X more people that were badly injured. Either way, sentencing him to the death penalty or life in prison won't bring back those innocence people.

"I didn't think so many people would die, and now I think I went too far," Aoba told the Kyoto District Court when the trial opened in September.

Sorry, what!? "I think I went too far"? There speaks a man who still hasn't accepted the responsibility for his actions.

Prosecutors did him a favor!

Justice has been served

Virusrex

Again, the penalty for criminals is a reflection not on the crimes but on the people that allow that penalty, you are arguing that someone that does something atrocious enough can pull back society back to their level and force it to justify violence and death as a tool.

By that logic, isn't imprisonment bad too as that would be kidnapping and detaining? It shouldn't be as the state is the one doing it. Same with execution.

It's not considered murder as he received a trial from the country. Just my thoughts.

By that logic, isn't imprisonment bad too as that would be kidnapping and detaining? It shouldn't be as the state is the one doing it. Same with execution.

Imprisonment is a necessity and clearly prevents the criminal from infringing on other people's rights, and it can be done humanely without problem. The death penalty do not offer further advantages and instead it is used to placate negative feelings and desires while at the same time justifying violence and death as a solution to a problem. There is no valid comparison between them.

Imprisonment is the least inhumane option, so it is ethical choice, killing the criminal is simply the easiest way to make people better by satiating their desire for revenge, even if it means devolving precious advantages of a modern society.

From what I have read of this, it was a premeditated and planned criminal crime, he set out to do it....end of...............I do not not agree with the death penalty, but it in some cases it is deserved. I hope the families of the victims are coping with this sub human crime and that they are healing as best they can.

Killing is wrong, from both side! There is no good justification.

Neither imprisonment or the death penalty do anything to help the victims.

I say forced labor with the proceeds going to the victim is better. The victims get some compensation and society gets free labor.

Victimless crimes should be treated with rehabilitation.

BeerDeliveryGuyToday 05:51 pm JST

How are you going to compel work? Torture? Corporate leaders are listening attentively.

Imprisonment is the least inhumane option

Is it? Given the extent and nature of his injuries, his mental torment (with extra added guilt now), and his age of 45 which would probably mean a decent number of years more to enjoy both.

I say forced labor with the proceeds going to the victim is better.

What labour will Mr. Aoba be doing with his self-inflicted 90% burns?

I was relieved to see that there were only emotional opinions and no logical opinions calling for the abolition of the death penalty. The death penalty system will continue to exist in Japan.

Countries that hold the opinion that the death penalty is uncivilized or inhumane should feed large numbers of thugs in comfortable solitary confinement.

https://globe.asahi.com/article/14707763

Would the poor victims whose families were murdered want the money earned by forcing the perpetrators to work? If it were me, I would refuse.

Is the idea of abolishing the death penalty, which does not take the victim's perspective at all, a uniquely European way of thinking?

I do not not agree with the death penalty, but it in some cases it is deserved.

You mean, you do agree with the death penalty.

a uniquely European way of thinking

You seem to think that's a bad thing?