Top court rejects appeal by doctor over euthanasia of ALS patient

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Concur with the courts decision.

Medical professional's oath is to preserve life and to to ensure quality of life to all - even those whose conditions are untreatable in terms of recovery - NOT to find ways to expedite death.

Murder is murder by any other name. The only life you have a right to take is your own, not any other.

In any other circumstance this guy would be deemed a serial killer.

For a medical professional to do this is wholly unethical.

People should be able to exit with dignity. If doctors are not allowed to assist then someone else should.

How I wish I were Canadian so that I could go home and legally get the relief I need. No help here in Japan, obviously.

Self determination includes the right to end one’s own life when they want. Assisting the terminally ill out of their misery and perpetual pain should not be a crime. Euthanasia must be legalized.

Sentence seems surprisingly harsh given the circumstances of the case. I’m guessing this:

as she was killed in such a short amount of time that it would prevent an adequate examination or confirmation of intent.

played a factor.

as she was killed in such a short amount of time that it would prevent an adequate examination or confirmation of intent

isn't this a good thing?

People who are against euthanasie probably never saw a loved dying slowly in full agony.

isn't this a good thing? 

People who are against euthanasie probably never saw a loved dying slowly in full agony.

I’m not sure of just how “short amount of time” was involved here (article doesn’t say), but it kind of depends.

Yeah, prolonged suffering is obviously terrible on the one hand, but on the other this is such a serious, irrevocable decision that it absolutely shouldn’t be so rushed that the intention of the person to do it hasn’t been confirmed (which is what the Court is saying didn’t happen).

Sentence seems surprisingly harsh given the circumstances of the case

The full circumstances make the sentence mild, the guy and an accomplice killed also the father of the accomplice, have argued openly that old people that are parasites of the insurance system should be encouraged to kill themselves and bragged on a blog about methods that doctors can use to kill patients without being found.

If anything Okubo's actions have destroyed decades of hard work of ethical advocates of euthanasia. There is no way that society will accept change right now thanks to him.

People should be able to exit with dignity. If doctors are not allowed to assist then someone else should.

It is a very rare day that I agree with TaiwanisChina but he is 100% right. 18 years for aiding a terminally ill person end their suffering is more than actual murderers get.

The full circumstances make the sentence mild, the guy and an accomplice killed also the father of the accomplice, have argued openly that old people that are parasites of the insurance system should be encouraged to kill themselves and bragged on a blog about methods that doctors can use to kill patients without being found.

Fair point. I was just basing my comment off the limited information in the article and wasn’t aware of those facts.

We put pets down all the time to alleviate their pain and suffering. Yet, when it comes to our human families, this logic goes straight out the window for some bizarre reason. It is cruel to force someone to live if they are in pain and suffering, causing their quality of life to decline. They deserve the right to go if that is what will give them peace. The fact that you can't legally choose if, when, and how you want to die is preposterous.

The full circumstances make the sentence mild, the guy and an accomplice killed also the father of the accomplice, have argued openly that old people that are parasites of the insurance system should be encouraged to kill themselves and bragged on a blog about methods that doctors can use to kill patients without being found.

Pretty stupid of them if true but they were charged for helping someone end their life of suffering not for their thoughts on old people and their drain on social welfare.

Pretty stupid of them if true but they were charged for helping someone end their life of suffering not for their thoughts on old people and their drain on social welfare.

That is part of what proves (together with being paid to kill her and doing it without even giving her a proper examination) that their interest is not the well being of the patient but a weird pride about being able to kill people without punishment, euthanasia is just the excuse they were trying to use to do it.

Other countries' system will be surely exploited at present Japanese society where welfare is disrespected and hate spread to neglect the lives of social vulnerable.

ALS is a very cruel disease that eventually robs patients of the ability to control any muscles. My mother-in-law has ALS and has been suffering for years, surviving only by a feeding tube, unable to communicate with her family - no words, no gestures, not even the blink of an eye possible. My wife and her family now feel guilt after being pressured by the doctor to allow the feeding tube, with no discussion of how the disease would inevitably progress and the toll it would take. Had they known their mom would suffer in silence for years in a care facility, they never would have agreed. No one who knew the mom would think this is what she would want. Compassionate end of life care must be allowed. An 18-year prison sentience for this doctor, when child murderers routinely get less than a decade, is a terrible injustice.