Society

Ex-head of parents' group gets life term for Vietnamese girl murder in Japan

Jul 07 (Kyodo) - A Japanese court sentenced the former head of a parents' group at an elementary school near Tokyo to life in prison on Friday over the 2017 murder of a 9-year-old Vietnamese girl who attended the school.

While Yasumasa Shibuya, 47, has denied involvement in the death of Le Thi Nhat Linh, the Chiba District Court ruled Shibuya can be recognized as the culprit as his DNA was found on the girl's body.

"The shock and worry (the defendant) brought upon society and school education is unimaginable," Presiding Judge Toshiro Nohara said in handing down the ruling.

But the court also rejected prosecutors' call for the death penalty, saying the murder of Linh was no more cruel than other crimes of similar nature for which culprits have been given life prison terms.

The lay judge trial's focus had been on how credible the police DNA tests are and whether a death sentence can be given in a case that resulted in only one death.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

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