Takarazuka Crossbow Killer Spared Death Sentence

Oct 31, 2025 | News On Japan

KOBE - A man accused of killing and injuring four family members with a crossbow in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, was sentenced to life in prison on October 31st, after the Kobe District Court rejected the prosecution’s demand for the death penalty.

The defendant, 28-year-old unemployed man Hideaki Nozu, was charged with fatally shooting his grandmother, mother, and younger brother with a crossbow at his home in Takarazuka in 2020, and seriously injuring his aunt in an attempt to kill her.

During the trial, Nozu admitted to the charges, stating that he "wanted to be sentenced to death as soon as possible," while the defense argued he was in a state of diminished mental capacity at the time of the crimes. Prosecutors, however, claimed he was fully responsible for his actions and sought the death penalty.

In its ruling, the Kobe District Court acknowledged that Nozu had full criminal responsibility, noting that he "made rational decisions to carry out the plan and maintained the ability to control his actions." However, the court also recognized the influence of mental illness in shaping his motives and concluded that "the crime was confined within the family and it cannot be said that the death penalty is truly unavoidable." The court therefore sentenced Nozu to life imprisonment.

Source: YOMIURI

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