Original subtitles

Counsel for the Prosecution, read the charges please.

The charges are as follows.

On the 4th of March, 2016, at about 15 o'clock, the defendant

with the intention to kill Ikuta Tomochika against whom he held a grudge since some time

visited the Ikuta Tomochika Institute in Kanagawa Prefecture, Miura District, Hayama 23, Number 8.

There he waited for the return of the said person until about 16:30 o'clock.

When the clerk Iioka Yoshie, 57, entered the room

and detected the knives he had brought along,

he stabbed her out of fear the planned murder of Ikuta would come to light.

With the same knife he stabbed Sekimoto Minori, 23, who had heard the sounds.

Both women died.

This crime was murder according to Criminal Law, Article 199,

and violation of the Firearms And Dangerous Weapons Control Act,

Article 3 and Article 31, Paragraph 16, Item 1.1.

We will now begin with the hearing about this incident.

In case the defendant will be asked a question during this hearing

the defendant has the right to remain silent and isn't bound to answer.

But, whatever you say in this courtroom,

be it advantageous or disadvantageous, will become proof.

- Do you understand? - Yes.

Was there any incorrect fact in the charges the Counsel of the Prosecution just read?

- It was all correct. - Then...

Excuse me...

Is there anything you want to say now?

For the 2 victims and their bereaved families

I'm truly very sorry.

But...

"But"? What do you mean?

But even now I want to kill Ikuta Tomochika.

If I were free, I would take revenge on him without fail.

Takai-sensei plans to bring up my biological parents

and plead extenuating circumstances. But there is no need for that!

I'm a person who should be sentenced to death. I have not the intention to beg for mercy.

This morning at 10 o'clock, here at Kanagawa District Court

the trial against the defendant Hashizume Hokuto began.

He was abused by his parents

and killed in order to take revenge for a fraud.

This case is a very unfortunate incident.

From an early age, Hashizume-san

was cruelly abused by his parents.

During his childhood, his home was true hell.

His excessive desire to take revenge that he showed just now

and his wish to get punished strictly

are the results of this abuse.

When Hashizume-san was taken in by his foster mother Kondo Ayako-san,

he was in 2nd year of high school.

This was the first time

he experienced the joy of living together with someone who loved him.

What we consider as normal happiness,

he experienced at last when he was 16.

But, this happiness also didn't last long.

Kondo-san fell ill with liver cancer.

When Kondo-san was lying in her sickbed she was visited by a friend.

From her she heard that Hado Water was effective against cancer.

Hashizume-san was more or less aware that this was a swindle,

but since his sick foster mother wanted Hado Water, he felt forced to continue buying it.

All the money Kondo-san had saved for his future,

more than 5 million yen, were spent for it.

Shortly before her death,

she learned that Hado Water was a swindle

and Hashizume-san asked her if she wanted revenge.

On the 4th of March last year, Hashizume-san went to the Hado Institute.

In order to take revenge, he took 2 knives along.

The crime happened about one and a half hours after Hashizume-san

entered the Hado Institute.

Originally, he had planned to kill no person other than Ikuta Tomochika

and to commit the crime immediately,

and even after such a long waiting time nothing had happened.

So, why did this incident happen?

The knives Hashizume-san had kept hidden to kill Ikuta-shi

were accidentially detected by Iioka Yoshie-san.

Full of fear that his original intention was found out and would become impossible,

Hashizume-san panicked

and killed Iioka-san and Sekimoto Minori-san.

It was indeed a chain of very unfortunate accidents that led to this incident.

The day it happened was 1 day after Hashizume-san celebrated his 20th birthday.

And in his personal history too are many points which should arouse our pity.

On top of that, he fell victim to a case of medical fraud,

and even if it may be hard to hear for their bereaved families,

the 2 victims were beneficiaries of this fraud.

Earlier, you heard from Hashizume-san's own mouth that there's no need to plead for extenuating circumstances

because he's a person who should be sentenced to death.

But, those words to the victims and their bereaved families

are a sign from his heart that he reflects and regrets.

Let's make a break here. Resumption is at 13 o'clock.

You're pretty hard-boiled, huh?

When guys face the death sentence, often the food sticks in their throat.

Speaking is forbidden!

You were the first person who appeared on the scene, right?

Yes.

On the day of the incident, Ikuta Tomochika wanted to hold a press conference at the Hado Institute

and I was waiting together with other reporters in front of the house.

Ikuta-shi arrived by car and when he opened the door to enter the house,

Hashizume-kun became visible.

What did the defendant do then?

He shouted loudly and with the knife in his hand

he tried to attack Ikuta-shi.

What did he shout?

"I'll kill you!" "I'll finish you off!"

You saw the bodies of the victims, right?

Yes. I wanted to know what had happened inside

and thanks to the commotion in front of the house I could enter.

Besides me, there were several cameramen inside.

What did you see?

Around the victims was a sea of blood.

It was a horrible sight.

Did you see the bodies from a close distance?

Yes.

What was your impression?

It was done with extreme brutality.

Especially on Sekimoto Minori-san's body were numerous stab wounds.

I could hardly stand to look at her.

Witness, have you ever met Hashizume-san before this incident?

I've met him once because of an interview.

What was this interview about?

I was collecting data for an article saying that Hado Water was a fraud.

Why did you think you should interview Hashizume-san?

Because he was the only one who had suffered such a high damage.

After collecting those data, to which conclusion did you come?

Exploiting people in the last stage of cancer with Hado Water

was a disgusting crime.

With this, we will end the first day of this trial.

Tomorrow, the judges will first have an internal discussion.

From 10 o'clock on, we will continue with the questioning of witnesses.

The session is closed.

Let's go.

Hokuto-kun!

Today I couldn't come to the trial, but tomorrow I'll be a witness too.

Don't answer.

- Yes? - I'm Tomioka.

Tomioka from the Suruga Child Guidance Center.

Sorry for visiting you so suddenly. I couldn't reach you by phone

- so I took the liberty to come here. - Please leave.

In this trial Hokuto-kun's life is at stake.

Please leave.

I'm begging you.

Please testify for Hokuto-kun tomorrow in all circumstances.

Please be in the courthouse at 12 o'clock. I'm begging you!

On which occasion did you become acquainted with Hashizume-san?

I visited his home because we had received reports from neighbours.

What was your impression during this 1st meeting?

Hashizume-kun denied it,

but I was convinced that he was being abused.

- And the 2nd meeting? - It was in a Hospital Intensive Care Unit.

His father had slit his forehead open with a screwdriver.

The doctor said if it had been a few millimeters deeper, he could be dead.

What happened to his father after that?

He was institutionalized and committed suicide by biting his tongue off.

Did the violence against Hashizume-san stop after that?

No. Now it was from his mother's side.

Are you saying the violence had only changed?

- The situation was a bit more complicated. - What do you mean?

People who were abused for a long time can become addicted to it.

It happened to his mother too.

Just like Hashizume-kun, she was abused by her husband day by day.

After she had lost this husband, she urged Hashizume-kun to take his place.

Did Hashizume-san respond to this request?

Yes. It seems he hit her several times.

He said his mother's requests were gradually escalating

and if this continued, he would kill her at last.

So he came to me and asked for help.

On this occasion, we had a long talk

about the abuse he had received from his parents.

What an impression of him did you have?

He was a pitiable person.

His body and his soul

had received deep wounds that would never heal.

In my 15 years as a welfare worker,

I have been in charge of more than 1000 abused children. His case

belongs to the 3 worst.

What happened to the other 2 children?

One died of the hands of its parents,

the other one from its own hands.

The only one who's still alive is Hashizume-kun.

You said in those 15 years you were in charge

of more than 1000 abused children, right?

I guess it's been close to 1500 actually.

Weren't there other deeply wounded children besides the defendant?

There were such cases,

but he was certainly the one whose heart received the deepest wounds.

Well then, among those 1500 abused children,

was there anyone who killed 2 persons?

- No. - And 1 person?

- No. - Objection!

Kondo Ayako-san, what kind of person was she?

She was like god.

She loved and accepted us with body and soul.

When I met mother, I was reborn.

I think with Hashizume-san it was the same.

Looking closely at the relationship between them, what a feeling did you have?

- I was worried. - Why?

Because Hashizume-san loved mother too much.

He loved her too much? What do you mean with that?

Children like us

cling to the first person who shows love to them.

They don't want to lose the only person who loves them

and try desperately to cling to that person for their whole life.

This person is all they have in this world.

Mother was old, and if anything happened to her,

I wondered if he could stand it.

I wondered if he wouldn't commit suicide.

In fact, Kondo-san got ill and passed away.

When that happened, how did Hashizume-san react?

You could say he showed absolutely no emotions.

How come?

Taking revenge on Ikuta Tomochika,

this was his only thought, I guess.

The very moment when mother died,

his own heart was killed too.

And it's still like this...

Witness, please look forward while you speak.

I'm sorry.

You said your relationship with Hashizume-san

was like brother and sister

even if you're not related by blood.

Supposed he got sentenced to life in prison or to a term of imprisonment,

what would you do?

- No matter how many years, I would wait. - You would wait?

Yes.

I came here not only as a witness,

I also came here as his fiancee.

I have signed and sealed the marriage registration form and handed it over.

In case Hashizume-san returned to society, how would you greet him?

I would support him with full power.

Housing, living expenses,

the cost of looking for a job, I would take care of it all.

I would support him with heart and soul.

A period of decades,

do you really think you can wait that long?

In order to communicate this resolution I've handed over the marriage registration form.

Can I ask an interposed question?

What is the defendant saying to this?

Hashizume-san said he was afraid it would impair my future.

Does this mean he didn't agree to this marriage?

Yes... not yet.

Then, it's not quite correct to call yourself his fiancee, right?

Still, I will keep talking thoroughly with him

and definitely get his agreement.

She also doesn't pick up the phone.

Next witness for the Defense please.

I'm very sorry. It seems she can't appear in court.

That's a trouble, isn't it? You can't call her?

Yes. I'm sorry.

Then...

Your Honour, the witness for the defense has arrived.

Is the Prosecution alright with this?

Yes.

- Then, take the witness stand. - That's a joke...

That's a joke! Get lost!

Why are you here? You have no business here!

- Get lost! - Defendant, be quiet!

That's a joke. What's she doing here? That's a joke!

Defendant, I say it once more. Be quiet!

Please kick this woman out of here!

This woman has no right to say anything!

If you make any further unnecessary remarks,

you will be expelled from the courtroom.

Watch it till the end!

Or do you intend to run away?

Your Honour,

I'm sorry. He's alright now.

The both of you, please be seated too.

Well then, let's begin. Tell us your name.

My name is Kimura Misako.

What is your relationship to the defendant?

I'm Hokuto's biological mother.

Well then, Counsel for the Defence please.

Excuse me, are you pregnant?

I'm expecting a child from my second husband. I'm 8 month pregnant now.

Do you remember the time when Hashizume-san was born?

Hokuto weighted 2207g when he was born.

He was very small and cute.

Did your husband also found him cute?

- In the first few days. - And later?

When Hokuto began to cry, he became annoyed.

In order to make him stop crying he beat him and that made him cry all the more.

So the abuse began immediately after his birth?

- Yes. - Did you also abuse him?

Yes. I did it together with my husband,

again and again, countless times.

Did your husband instruct you to do it?

I had to obey him and was forced to do it. That's why.

Do you remember the clothes-hanger?

If you twist a clothes-hanger from the cleaners, it becomes a rod-shaped object.

We used it to hit Hokuto.

Why did you use such a thing?

If you hit with your bare hand, your own hand hurts too.

- Where did you hit him? - On the belly or on the back.

- Body sites that are hidden under the clothes, right? - Yes.

- So that the abuse wouldn't be detected? - Yes.

When he was still small, did you give him no meal

- and made him stand outside on the veranda for the night? - Yes.

- This also didn't happen only 1 or 2 times? - Yes.

Weren't you worried about him?

I had no time for that.

Why?

The nights when Hokuto was abused,

that man got exited and did it till midnight.

"Did it"?

You mean sexual activity?

You and your husband left a small child standing on the veranda

and had intercourse?

Objection!

The counsel repeatedly asks questions which are unrelated to this case.

Prosecutor!

Do you really think this has no relation to this case?

Your Honour, the parental abuse

had a great influence on the character development of the defendant.

Objection dismissed. Please continue.

Well then, let me ask about the time after your husband's death.

Little by little, Hashizume-san began to use violence against you.

Is this true?

It is true.

Why did it happen?

Because I invited him.

I invited him to hit me.

Why did you do such a thing?

I was confused at that time.

Hashizume-san was afraid he might kill you in the end

and felt deeply confused and troubled.

Making an abused child abuse you,

making a child who knows pain better than anyone else hit you,

can't you imagine how cruel this was?

Later, Hashizume-san planned to take revenge

and as a result killed 2 people.

However, what implanted the bud of this violence into him,

don't you think it was the abuse by his parents?

Is your present husband informed about this here today?

No. He has no idea.

I realized it only a moment ago.

The person who made Hokuto a murderer is me.

It is my fault.

By appearing here in court you risk to lose your present life completely, right?

For the sake of your son

you found that courage, didn't you?

Did you love your son?

No more questions.

- Then... - May I speak a few words?

Please.

Live by yourself.

During the time you'll pay for your sins,

stay by yourself

and live.

Kimura-san, can you answer a few questions?

The cause of your addiction to violence, was it...

Sorry. Excuse us. Sorry.

What's wrong?

Are you alright?

Oi! Are you alright?

Oi! Are you alright? Oi!

It would be easier if you died now, right?

It was the same for me.

Many times I thought I should commit suicide,

but I didn't die.

I know.

When mother appeared out of the blue,

you were shocked.

In her own way, that woman

did love us, don't you think?

To a certain extent, she's a lovable person.

I'm sure she will be nice to that child in her womb.

Things you've kept hidden at great pains

get now dragged out.

What Takai-sensei said was right.

"In the courtroom they strip you naked", he said.

It's tough, isn't it? You want to run away, right?

But it's impossible.

Just as I couldn't escape from that apartment,

you cannot escape from the courtroom.

Yoshie and me

were married for 29 years.

I worked as a company employee

and Yoshie worked as a clerk.

We repayed the mortgage on our house and raised our son.

Yoshie was a good-natured and friendly woman.

She was a good wife to me and a kind mother to our son.

The life of such a wife

was extinguished on the 4th of March last year.

Since that day, I feel like an empty shell.

Our son Masaki feels the same.

The defendant did not only kill Yoshie,

our past of 29 years

and the precious time we still would have lived together as a family

were also killed.

Even if the defendant gets executed,

Yoshie won't return. I know that very well.

Still,

if there is justice in this world,

I hope you will sentence the defendant to death.

How long has Yoshie-san been working for the Ikuta Hado Institute?

A little more than 3 years.

During that time the medical fraud had already begun, right?

Did she tell you anything about this matter?

She seemed to be perplexed.

But she didn't tell you that Hado Water was a swindle, right?

Yes.

Were you informed about the details of Yoshie-san's work?

It was clerical work. She didn't do anything important.

She wasn't involved in the fraud. I'm sure of that.

The income of clerical staff in the medical industry

depends on experience and skills of course, but when you look it up,

you'll find the average annual income of clerks, 3 years employed, is between 3 and 4 million yen.

What was Yoshie-san's annual income?

About 7 million yen.

No more questions.

What has that to do with this case?

Please stop making irregular remarks.

Why is it allowed to badmouth my mother?

My mother was killed by that guy!

That's strange.

Right? Isn't that strange?

You will have the opportunity to speak your mind.

Please speak when you're standing in the witness box.

No matter where I speak, aren't we all together here?

Iioka-san, the court rules say so.

What?

Rules, rules... I can't hear it anymore!

Calm down please!

No matter how unfortunate his childhood was,

it has nothing to do with the murder!

Would you please intervene.

It's crazy.

Everything here is crazy!

Hey,

didn't you say yourself you should be sentenced to death?

You will be expelled from the courtroom.

Then, kill yourself!

Don't waste time with this here.

Bite your tongue off and die right away, okay!

Masaki!

Pull yourself together.

When I was 7 years old, my parents got a divorce.

My mother, my older sister, and I moved to grandmother's house

and our life as a family of 4 began.

Even though my mother had to battle her way with part-time jobs and we had no money,

I remember these times as most happy.

But 5 years ago, my mother died suddenly.

It was a heart disease.

My sister had decided to go to college,

but she started working in order to support us.

My sister was always a bright, positive,

hard-working person.

She wanted at least me go to college in all circumstances.

That's what she was always saying.

At that time, she happened to hear of the Ikuta Hado Institute

and since the salary was good, she began working there.

The counsel over there said shortly before

that it was wrong of Iioka-san to rake in such a high salary.

But we were really grateful for this money.

I absolutely cannot believe that my sister did something wrong.

I still hold my sister in high respect. I'm proud of her

and love her.

Regarding the defendant, is there anything you want to say?

I hate him.

Just like Iioka-san,

I thought all the time, "I wish he would die".

But I talked with grandmother yesterday and she made me understand.

Grandmother said

that enough people had died already.

I asked myself what my sister would have said.

I'm sure

she had not wanted the death sentence for him.

I think so too.

I'm sorry, Iioka-san.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry...

Tomorrow, the Prosecution will make their summation.

Without doubt, they will plead in favour of the death sentence.

After that, I will make a final argument,

and at last you will have the opportunity to give a statement.

You're tired, right?

You're not used to stand in front of the bench after all.

It's no wonder.

I'm also completely exhausted.

And not just me.

The prosecutors, the judges, the families of the victims, everyone must be exhausted.

Because it's about life or death of a human.

In my professional practice so far, 9 persons were sentenced to death.

2 of them are not in this world anymore.

The prisoner who was executed last year kept cursing the law, society,

and most of all himself until he died.

But the other one was different.

In the course of the trial he regretted the crime from the bottom of his heart

and regained his true self.

He changed himself beyond recognition.

But nevertheless,

he was sentenced to death.

As I told you earlier, I'm an opponent of capital punishment.

And if I had to name the main reason for this,

it's that I believe that people can change.

I'm sure someday you will change too.

Just as you were reborn with Kondo-san's help,

I'm sure you can this time change by your own efforts.

That's why

you must live.

You must live.

You must live.

Stop it please.

You must live.

Stop it.

You must live.

Stop with that!

You must live, Hokuto-kun!

Sensei, the interview is over!

Come!

Right now, a lot of thoughts are swirling in your head!

In your statement tomorrow, disclose them all!

Show us your true heart.

Let's go!

We will now begin with the summation of the Prosecution.

This incident,

which looked complicated at first glance,

is actually a terribly simple case of brutal murder, nothing else.

The defendant went to the institute in order to kill Ikuta Tomochika-shi.

The fact that he had prepared even a spare knife shows clearly

that he acted systematically and with murderous intent.

Because Ikuta-shi was absent,

the defendant killed the clerks Iioka Yoshie-san and Sekimoto Minori-san

in an extremly brutal way.

It's almost a wonder that there wasn't a 3rd or even a 4th victim.

Actually, the defendant said here in court

if he were free, he would kill Ikuta-shi for sure.

As retribution for these unexcusable murders,

for the protection of our society,

and in consideration of the sorrow of the 2 bereaved families

I have no choice but to plead for a strict sentence.

Therefore, the Prosecution requests the defendant to be put to death.

Then, Defendant, step forward.

With this, the trial of this case is over.

At the end, is there anything you want to say?

I...

I...

had no memories of ever being hugged.

Since I was small,

I always thought

it would have been better

if I had not been born.

The one

who hugged me for the first time

was mother.

Mother showed me

that it was good that I was born.

She showed me the value of life.

I...

couldn't forgive

Ikuta Tomochika

that he cheated mother.

When I said I still felt the desire to kill him,

it wasn't a lie.

However,

to kill Iioka Yoshie-san

and Sekimoto Minori-san

has never been my intention.

I did something truly irreparable.

Iioka-san's family

told me I should die.

I had the intention to do this.

Since this incident happened,

I have all the time

thought of nothing but dying.

I took 2 precious lives,

so I can only pay for this sin by dying myself.

My biological father

bit his tongue off and committed suicide.

I've tried this too.

I wanted to die

and get rid of the devilish blood

that's flowing in me.

But,

I couldn't.

I ate the meals they served me,

excreted them,

and ate again.

Even though I couldn't forgive me these things,

I couldn't help doing them.

Even though I thought only of dying,

my body did everything to stay alive.

I...

said I should be sentenced to death.

Even now, this feeling

is unchanged.

But,

if...

if...

I can be forgiven...

The truth is,

I want to live.

I want to live and atone.

All rise.

Court is in session.

Defendant, step forward.

I pronounce the sentence.

In the main issue, the defendant

is sentenced to life imprisonment.

The session is closed.

Hokuto-kun.

Do you think it's over with this?

I will immediately prepare the documents for an appeal.

- Thank you very much. - Thank you very much.

We're counting on you.