Top court rejects appeal by doctor over euthanasia of ALS patient [Podcast Episode]

By Barrier Free Japan

June 16 2025

TOKYO – Japan’s top court rejected an appeal on Thursday 12th June by a doctor convicted of consensually killing a woman, Yuri Hayashi, 51, who had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare neurological disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2019 in Kyoto, western Japan, finalizing his 18-year prison sentence. The Supreme Court’s Second Petty Bench rejected arguments that found Yoshikazu Okubo, 47, guilty of aiding another’s suicide would violate the constitutional right to self-determination.

Episode notes:

‘Top court rejects appeal by doctor over euthanasia of ALS patient’:

Japan’s Top court rejects appeal by doctor over euthanasia of ALS patient