A 37-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for abducting and murdering a 16-year-old high school girl last year in Gunma Prefecture.
Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty for Masahito Sakamoto, from the village of Kasukawa in the same prefecture. Sakamoto had demanded and received a ransom from the parents of Ai Yasuda after killing her.
"It was not a premeditated crime, and the defendant is beginning to feel remorse," presiding Judge Yasuhiro Kuga claimed in handing down the Maebashi District Court ruling. "Therefore, it is appropriate for the defendant . . . to atone for the rest of his life."
Yasuda's parents issued a statement saying they are not satisfied and hope prosecutors file an appeal so that a higher court can hand down the death penalty.