16-Year-Old Boy to Be Sent to Family Court over Murder of Parents near Tokyo

From Jiji

February 20 2025

Yokohama  – A Japanese district court on Thursday called on a family court to hear a case involving a 16-year-old boy charged with murdering his parents in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, last year.

Takahira Yoshii, presiding judge at Yokohama District Court, said that educative and protective measures are appropriate for the boy.

“The incident wouldn’t have happened if he had not been placed in an inappropriate nurturing environment by his parents,” Yoshii said.

The judge said that the boy “regrets” what he did and that he needs to receive special education.

Public prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of 10-15 years against the boy.