The district court here handed a 21-year-old woman a 10-year prison term Thursday in connection with the fatal beating of a 20-year-old woman in December.
The court found Shinobu Oba guilty for leading a group that inflicted bodily injury resulting in the death of Satomi Hikichi, who was her friend at junior high school. She was also found guilty of dumping the body.
Also sentenced by the court was Megumi Takahashi, 20, who received an eight-year prison term for conspiring with Oba in the case.
According to the court, Oba and seven others beat Hikichi with wooden swords at several locations, including a gang office, between Dec. 19 and 24. Hikichi later died.
They then burned Hikichi's body, the court said.
In handing down the ruling, presiding judge Koichi Yamada said the defendant's deed was cruel and inhuman.
During the ordeal, "the victim even begged them to kill her. It must have been a living hell for her," he said.