Prosecutors demanded a life sentence Monday for a man charged with fatally stabbing a convenience store manager at JR Tokyo Station in July.

The sentence was demanded during a trial session for Hidekazu Omori, 34, before the Tokyo District Court.

Omori is accused of fatally stabbing Masahiko Okeda, 33, in the abdomen after Okeda chased him down and tried to collar him for shoplifting.

According to police, Omori stole food items valued at 550 yen from the store in the railway station early July 21 and fled.

In demanding life imprisonment, prosecutors said Omori had committed a "self-centered crime" and that he poses a further threat to society.

The court will make its ruling Jan. 16.

"It was clear that (Omori) intended to kill the victim," the prosecutors said, adding he stabbed Okeda because he "did not want to go to prison" for shoplifting.

Omori's lawyers insisted their client did not intend to kill Okeda. In court, Omori apologized to the victim's family.