The Tokyo High Court on Monday upheld the death sentence for a 63-year-old dog breeder and his former wife for the murder of four people in 1993.
Gen Sekine was convicted of fatally poisoning the four victims, destroying their bodies and disposing of the remains. His former wife, 48-year-old Hiroko Kazama, who owned a pet shop, was sentenced to hang for playing a role in three of the slayings.
In March 2001, the then Urawa District Court sentenced the pair to death in line with prosecutors' demands. Both Sekine and Kazama appealed the verdict.