Society

Supreme Court Upholds 18-Year Sentence for Doctor in Kyoto

KYOTO, Jun 17 (News On Japan) - The Supreme Court has finalized the sentence of 18 years in prison for Yoshikazu Okubo, who conspired with a former doctor to carry out an assisted death in Kyoto in 2019 at the request of a female patient suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

During previous trials, Okubo argued that he acted to fulfill the woman's wish, while the defense maintained that punishing him under the charge of murder by request violated the Constitution and sought acquittal. However, the Kyoto District Court handed down an 18-year prison sentence, which was subsequently upheld by the Osaka High Court. Okubo appealed, but the Supreme Court has now rejected the appeal, making the 18-year sentence final.

Source: ABCTVnews

Black Smoke Engulfs Fukuoka Expressway

Thick black smoke billowed across an expressway in Fukuoka on May 11th after a fire broke out beneath an elevated section of the road, temporarily blocking visibility for drivers and forcing a partial road closure.

Old Building Wall Collapses Onto Taxi

Part of the exterior wall of a commercial building collapsed in Osaka on May 10th, causing a nearby highway signpost to topple onto a taxi in what authorities suspect may have been linked to the building’s aging condition.

Camera Captures Bear Tearing Through Hokkaido Neighborhood

A brown bear was caught on camera running at high speed through a residential area in Hokkaido, as sightings of unusually large bears continue to spread across the region this spring.

Tokyo Chosen to Host Los Angeles Olympic Qualifying Series

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on May 7th that Tokyo has been selected as a host city for the Olympic Qualifying Series, where athletes will compete for places at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Thousands Pull Sacred Logs Ahead of Ise Grand Shrine Renewal

The "Okihiki" ceremony, in which citizens transport timber to the Outer Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine ahead of its next Shikinen Sengu reconstruction seven years from now, began in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, on May 9th.

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