A Japanese court on Monday sentenced a man to death for the 2016 murder of 19 disabled people at a care home, one of the country's worst mass killings.

Satoshi Uematsu, a former employee of the facility, never disputed his involvement in the grisly stabbing rampage, but his lawyers entered a plea of not guilty, arguing the 30-year-old was suffering a "mental disorder" linked to his use of marijuana.

Chief judge Kiyoshi Aonuma dismissed that argument and ruled Uematsu deserved no leniency over the horrifying attack, which shocked the country.

"The lives of 19 people were taken away. This is profoundly grave," he told the court.&nbsp;

Uematsu planned the murders and had "an extreme intention to kill", the judge said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/19-dead-25-wounded-in-knife-attack-on-disabled-care-centre-in-tokyo-3240">19 dead, 25 wounded in knife attack on disabled care centre in Tokyo</a>

Prosecutors sought the death penalty, which in Japan is implemented by hanging, arguing Uematsu was capable of taking responsibility for what they said was an "inhumane" attack at the Tsukui Yamayuri-en centre in Sagamihara town, just outside Tokyo.

Uematsu's behaviour in court, including apparently trying to put something in his mouth, disrupted proceedings at the first hearing in January, with the judge calling a recess and then resuming without him.

But he was impassive on Monday as the verdict was announced, looking straight ahead at the judge during the sentencing.

He wore a black suit with his hair in a long ponytail down to his waist, and was flanked by six uniformed court officers wearing surgical masks.

'I hate you so much'

Uematsu, who faced six charges including murder, reportedly said before the trial that he would not appeal any verdict, though he argued he did not deserve the death penalty.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/knife-attackers-house-raided-day-after-japans-worst-mass-killing-in-decades-3346">Knife attacker?s house raided day after Japan's worst mass killing in decades?</a>

He has reportedly said he wanted to eradicate all disabled people in the horrifying attack that also left 26 people wounded.

He turned himself in to police after the assault, carrying bloodied knives, and it later emerged he had left his job at the home just months earlier and been forcibly hospitalised after telling colleagues he intended to kill disabled people at the centre.

But he was discharged after just 12 days when a doctor decided he was not a threat. He had also written a letter outlining plans to attack the home, claiming "disabled people only create unhappiness".

Among the few victims to be identified publicly was a 19-year-old woman, Miho, whose mother had said at the court that Uematsu "didn't need a future".

"I hate you so much. I want to rip you apart. Even the most extreme penalty is light for you. I will never forgive you," her mother said before the verdict, according to public broadcaster NHK.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-killing-spree-lasted-2-months-23282">Japan killing spree 'lasted 2 months'</a>

"Please bring back my most precious daughter... You're still alive. It's not fair. It's wrong."

"I demand capital punishment," she added.

No remorse

The trial has been closely watched, and a court spokesman said 1,603 people lined up for 10 seats available for the verdict.

The number of spots was reduced because of rules requiring spectators sit apart to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Uematsu has shown no remorse for the attack, telling Japan's Mainichi Shimbun daily that people with mental disabilities "have no heart", and for them "there's no point in living".

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-death-penalty-demanded-for-man-accused-of-killing-19-disabled-people-281233">Japan: Death penalty demanded for man accused of killing 19 disabled people</a>

"I had to do it for the sake of society," he said.

Uematsu's beliefs shocked Japan, with experts and activists raising questions about whether others might hold similar views.

Japan has been making efforts to increase accessibility particularly in Tokyo ahead of this year's Paralympic Games and activists hailed last year's election of two disabled lawmakers.

But some critics feel the country still falls short of fully integrating people with disabilities.

A Japanese court on Monday sentenced a man to death for the 2016 murder of 19 disabled people at a care home, one of the country's worst mass killings. Satoshi Uematsu, a former employee of the facility, never disputed his involvement in the grisly stabbing rampage, but his lawyers entered a plea of not guilty, arguing the 30-year-old was suffering a "mental disorder" linked to his use of marijuana.

A Japanese court on Monday sentenced a man to death for the 2016 murder of 19 disabled people at a care home, one of the country's worst mass killings. Satoshi Uematsu, a former employee of the facility, never disputed his involvement in the grisly stabbing rampage, but his lawyers entered a plea of not guilty, arguing the 30-year-old was suffering a "mental disorder" linked to his use of marijuana. Chief judge Kiyoshi Aonuma dismissed that argument and ruled Uematsu deserved no leniency over the horrifying attack, which shocked the country. "The lives of 19 people were taken away. This is profoundly grave," he told the court. Uematsu planned the murders and had "an extreme intention to kill", the judge said. Also read: 19 dead, 25 wounded in knife attack on disabled care centre in Tokyo Prosecutors sought the death penalty, which in Japan is implemented by hanging, arguing Uematsu was capable of taking responsibility for what they said was an "inhumane" attack at the Tsukui Yamayuri-en centre in Sagamihara town, just outside Tokyo. Uematsu's behaviour in court, including apparently trying to put something in his mouth, disrupted proceedings at the first hearing in January, with the judge calling a recess and then resuming without him. But he was impassive on Monday as the verdict was announced, looking straight ahead at the judge during the sentencing. He wore a black suit with his hair in a long ponytail down to his waist, and was flanked by six uniformed court officers wearing surgical masks. 'I hate you so much' Uematsu, who faced six charges including murder, reportedly said before the trial that he would not appeal any verdict, though he argued he did not deserve the death penalty. Also see: Knife attacker?s house raided day after Japan's worst mass killing in decades? He has reportedly said he wanted to eradicate all disabled people in the horrifying attack that also left 26 people wounded. He turned himself in to police after the assault, carrying bloodied knives, and it later emerged he had left his job at the home just months earlier and been forcibly hospitalised after telling colleagues he intended to kill disabled people at the centre. But he was discharged after just 12 days when a doctor decided he was not a threat. He had also written a letter outlining plans to attack the home, claiming "disabled people only create unhappiness". Among the few victims to be identified publicly was a 19-year-old woman, Miho, whose mother had said at the court that Uematsu "didn't need a future". "I hate you so much. I want to rip you apart. Even the most extreme penalty is light for you. I will never forgive you," her mother said before the verdict, according to public broadcaster NHK. Also read: Japan killing spree 'lasted 2 months' "Please bring back my most precious daughter... You're still alive. It's not fair. It's wrong." "I demand capital punishment," she added. No remorse The trial has been closely watched, and a court spokesman said 1,603 people lined up for 10 seats available for the verdict. The number of spots was reduced because of rules requiring spectators sit apart to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Uematsu has shown no remorse for the attack, telling Japan's Mainichi Shimbun daily that people with mental disabilities "have no heart", and for them "there's no point in living". Also see: Japan: Death penalty demanded for man accused of killing 19 disabled people "I had to do it for the sake of society," he said. Uematsu's beliefs shocked Japan, with experts and activists raising questions about whether others might hold similar views. Japan has been making efforts to increase accessibility particularly in Tokyo ahead of this year's Paralympic Games and activists hailed last year's election of two disabled lawmakers. But some critics feel the country still falls short of fully integrating people with disabilities.

Man sentenced to death for murder of 19 people at a caring home for disabled

Japanese police today raided the house of a 26-year-old man suspected of stabbing to death 19 people and wounding dozens at a facility for the disabled in a small town near Tokyo, Japan&#39;s worst mass killing in decades. 
 
About half a dozen plainclothes police entered the home of Satoshi Uematsu, a former employee of the facility, as reporters and television cameras stood by. 
 
Uematsu was earlier sent from a regional jail in Sagamihara town, about 45 km (25 miles) southwest of Tokyo, to the Yokohama District Public Prosecutors Office in Kanagawa prefecture. 
 
Video footage showed him smiling in a police car as he was driven away. 
 
Uematsu, who gave himself up to police on Tuesday after the attack, had said in letters he wrote in February that he could &quot;obliterate 470 disabled people&quot; and gave detailed plans of how he would do so, the Kyodo news agency reported. 
 
He was involuntarily committed to hospital after he expressed a &quot;willingness to kill severely disabled people&quot;, an official in Sagamihara told Reuters. 
 
He was freed on March 2 after a doctor deemed he had improved and was no longer a threat to himself or others, the official said. 
 
The affair has shocked a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the world. 
 
Residents of the Sagamihara area, a largely rural, wooded valley where houses are interspersed with orchards and vegetable gardens, were struggling to come to grips with the violence. 
 
&quot;There was no reason or benefit to this,&quot; said 82-year-old Yukiko Inoue. &quot;He just killed them.&quot; 
 
Mass killing sparks debate&nbsp; 
 
The killings have sparked debate on whether the system for involuntary commitment and aftercare has broken down, since Uematsu had previously made clear his intent to commit the crime. 
 
&quot;Involuntary commitment is done forcefully by the authorities ... If the time period drags on longer than necessary, it becomes a serious violation of human rights,&rdquo; the Asahi newspaper said in an editorial on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;However ...there were warning signs before the incident,&quot; the paper said. 
 
&quot;Was the treatment and outwatch of the man sufficient? It is vital to closely examine the system of support for the man and his family, and the contacts between the medical system and the police.&rdquo; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Uematsu had said in letters he wrote in February that he could 'obliterate 470 disabled people', gave detailed plans of how he would do so

Japanese police today raided the house of a 26-year-old man suspected of stabbing to death 19 people and wounding dozens at a facility for the disabled in a small town near Tokyo, Japan's worst mass killing in decades. About half a dozen plainclothes police entered the home of Satoshi Uematsu, a former employee of the facility, as reporters and television cameras stood by. Uematsu was earlier sent from a regional jail in Sagamihara town, about 45 km (25 miles) southwest of Tokyo, to the Yokohama District Public Prosecutors Office in Kanagawa prefecture. Video footage showed him smiling in a police car as he was driven away. Uematsu, who gave himself up to police on Tuesday after the attack, had said in letters he wrote in February that he could "obliterate 470 disabled people" and gave detailed plans of how he would do so, the Kyodo news agency reported. He was involuntarily committed to hospital after he expressed a "willingness to kill severely disabled people", an official in Sagamihara told Reuters. He was freed on March 2 after a doctor deemed he had improved and was no longer a threat to himself or others, the official said. The affair has shocked a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the world. Residents of the Sagamihara area, a largely rural, wooded valley where houses are interspersed with orchards and vegetable gardens, were struggling to come to grips with the violence. "There was no reason or benefit to this," said 82-year-old Yukiko Inoue. "He just killed them." Mass killing sparks debate The killings have sparked debate on whether the system for involuntary commitment and aftercare has broken down, since Uematsu had previously made clear his intent to commit the crime. "Involuntary commitment is done forcefully by the authorities ... If the time period drags on longer than necessary, it becomes a serious violation of human rights,” the Asahi newspaper said in an editorial on Tuesday. "However ...there were warning signs before the incident," the paper said. "Was the treatment and outwatch of the man sufficient? It is vital to closely examine the system of support for the man and his family, and the contacts between the medical system and the police.” (Reuters)

Knife attacker?s house raided day after Japan's worst mass killing in decades?

satoshi-uematsu

Satoshi Uematsu, News on Satoshi Uematsu, stories on Satoshi Uematsu, articles on Satoshi Uematsu, Satoshi Uematsu stories at Wion, Satoshi Uematsu news, Satoshi Uematsu latest news

satoshi uematsu

Man sentenced to death for murder of 19 people at a caring home for disabled

Knife attacker?s house raided day after Japan's worst mass killing in decades?