Death upheld for double-murderer
Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007

Kyodo News
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence for a 38-year-old man who murdered two women in Miyazaki Prefecture in 2001 in a decision that will soon bring the number of death row inmates to 99.

In dismissing an appeal by Yasutoshi Matsuda, Justice Kohei Nasu, who presided over the top court's No. 3 Petty Bench, said the court recognized he had "firm intention" of killing the victims and the crimes were "premeditated."

Matsuda's lawyers argued during the trial in December that the death penalty should be avoided because he "at first had no intention of murdering" in either case.

Nasu said there is no room for leniency because Matsuda's motive for the murders was to get money to live on or for entertainment.

"Even taking into account that he has repented, the death penalty is unavoidable," Nasu said.

A week ago, the top court upheld the death penalty for three men over a 1994-1996 serial murder case.

If the death sentences for Matsuda as well as the three other men are finalized after remaining technical legal procedures, the total number of death row inmates will reach 99.