Death Penalty Sought for Triple Murder in Saitama Pref.

Saitama, Feb. 26 (Jiji Press)--Public prosecutors on Thursday demanded the death penalty for a 43-year-old man charged with killing three members of a family at their house in the city of Hanno, Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, in December 2022.

Seeking the punishment for the defendant, Jun Saito, during the day’s hearing for his lay judge trial at Saitama District Court, the prosecution said that the crime was very malicious and brutal.

On the degree of Saito’s ability to take criminal responsibility, which is the main focus in the trial, the prosecution said that his mental illness had only a limited impact on his actions, adding that the crime was premeditated.

The defendant recognized that his actions were illegal and acted rationally to achieve his purpose, the prosecution said, noting that he cut the wiring of a security camera and hid his face with a mask before committing the crime.

“I want him to disappear from the world, so he should be put to death,” a bereaved relative said in tears.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]