A man charged with fatally shooting a doctor and attacking medical staff who visited his home near Tokyo last year denied on Thursday that he had intended to kill them.
Hiroshi Watanabe, 67, said during his first hearing at Saitama District Court that he had "never intended at all" to murder anyone, claiming instead that he had aimed at the doctor's right knee but his shot went off target.
The focal point of the trial will be whether the defendant had an intent to kill. The ruling is expected on Dec. 12.