Declining grades behind student stabbings, teen boy admits to charges in court

Oct 13, 2023 | News On Japan

TOKYO - A former high school student accused of stabbing three individuals, including students taking the University Entrance Examination, in front of the University of Tokyo, has admitted to the charges in court.

In January 2022, on the first day of the exams, the 19-year-old male, who was a second-year high school student at the time, faced charges related to attempting to kill three exam takers with a knife in front of the University of Tokyo.

During the initial court hearing, the young man apologized, saying, "I deeply regret causing harm to the victims, both mentally and physically," and acknowledged the charges.

In the opening statement, the prosecution said, "He aspired to join the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Science, but as his grades declined, he became desperate. He carried a sense of guilt for planning to kill numerous exam takers indiscriminately, and he contemplated suicide."

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