A Tokyo District Court has sentenced anesthesiologist Toru Kotani, 66 [1], to 18 months in prison with a three-year stay of execution [1].
The ruling concludes a decade-long legal battle over medical negligence at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital. The case highlights the critical risks of sedative mismanagement and the legal accountability of senior physicians over trainees in high-stakes medical environments.
The court found Kotani guilty of professional negligence resulting in death [1]. The conviction stems from a 2014 incident where a two-year-old boy died [1, 2] after being administered the sedative propofol for an extended period [1, 2].
While Kotani received a suspended sentence, the court acquitted Satoshi Fukuda, 44 [1], a former resident physician also charged in the case [1].
The mother of the child expressed her grief following the verdict. "I cannot report this verdict to my son. I am filled with a very sad feeling," she said [1].
The defense team for the convicts indicated they intend to challenge the ruling. The legal team said they plan to appeal Kotani's sentence to the Tokyo High Court [1].
“"I cannot report this verdict to my son."”
This verdict underscores the judicial distinction between the responsibility of a supervising specialist and a trainee in Japanese medical malpractice cases. By convicting the senior anesthesiologist while acquitting the resident, the court reinforced the principle that the primary duty of care and oversight rests with the senior physician, regardless of who physically administered the medication.
