The Kawasaki branch of the Yokohama District Court sentenced a Chinese man to death Monday for a 1999 robbery-murder in which three Chinese were stabbed to death and three others were injured.
Presiding Judge Kiyoshi Habuchi handed down the death sentence to Chen Detong, 33, who lived with the six victims in a Kawasaki apartment at the time of the May 1999 murders. He was found guilty of murder and causing injury, and of robbing the victims of 53,000 yen in cash and valuables.
"The accused murdered and injured the six without hesitation after thorough preparations," Habuchi said. "It is cruel and I cannot think that it is the conduct of a human being. He has to face grave criminal responsibility."
The ruling was in line with prosecution demands.
Chen stood motionless and showed little emotion as the sentence was handed down. His lawyers plan to appeal.
The court found that Chen planned the attack in retaliation for the victims' earlier physical assaults against him.
Chen conspired with seven other Chinese to tie up the six with adhesive tape, steal their cash and valuables, and wound one of the victims, according to the court.
Chen stabbed the remaining five by himself, killing three and seriously wounding the other two, the court ruled.