According to a Japanese media report, Tomohiro Kato was hanged this Tuesday in Tokyo Detention Centre. This was following sentencing by the Tokyo District Court that sentenced him to death in 2011 saying his brutal crime had not indicated “a shred of humanity”.
Japan despite being a developed country, has still embraced the use of capital punishment when dealing with criminals’, execution is considered one of the punishments.
The execution of the, Tomohiro Kato, 39-year-old man was decided after he killed up to seven people in Tokyo as he went on a stabbing rampage in 2008. He stabbed passers-by with a dagger, killing four and wounding eight.
When he was apprehended by police at the scene, Tomohiro Kato just admitted to his crimes in his trial, only saying he had been angered by online bullying hence the push to such an action of attacking others.
Tomohiro Kato has left most in shock committing mass murders in recent history in spite of acknowledging the repercussions due.
This occurrence saw a tightening of Laws on knife ownership after Kato’s killing spree.
The reason he gave for his crime sparked much debate in Japanese society at the time over random killings, online influence, and the failures in mental health support for young people.
Pointing out a need to save the young through mental support from the influence of social media.
Not forgetting that, Tomohiro Kato while 25 years old drove a truck into a lunchtime crowd of pedestrians at Akihabara Shopping district which saw 3 left dead.
Even though the suspect had appealed, he lost an appeal in 2015 seeking to commute his death sentence.
Tomohiro Kato’s execution is the country’s first execution this year, having hung three people last December and more than 100 prisoners still remain on death row.
