The Sapporo District Court ruled Wednesday that a group assault and robbery resulting in the death of a university student constitutes robbery homicide [1].
This intermediate ruling allows prosecutors to proceed with the most severe charges possible against the suspects. It establishes a legal bridge between the demand for valuables and the fatal violence that occurred during the encounter.
The victim, 20-year-old university student Tomoya Hase, was killed during an attack in a public park in Ebetsu City, Hokkaido [1, 2]. The incident took place in October 2024 [2, 3].
According to court proceedings, the suspects demanded cash and other valuables from Hase [1]. After the demand for money began, the group assaulted Hase for approximately two hours [1]. The severity and duration of the attack led to his death [1, 2].
Three suspects, including Kawamura Haon, have been charged in connection with the crime [1, 2]. Prosecutors have now indicted the three individuals on robbery homicide and related charges following the court's determination [1, 3].
The court's intermediate judgment on June 3, 2026, specifically addressed whether the elements of robbery homicide were satisfied [1]. The judge said that the sequence of events — beginning with the demand for assets and ending in a fatal assault — met the necessary legal requirements for the charge [1].
“The Sapporo District Court ruled Wednesday that a group assault and robbery resulting in the death of a university student constitutes robbery homicide”
The court's decision to recognize the crime as robbery homicide rather than a simpler assault or manslaughter charge significantly increases the potential penalties for the defendants. By linking the fatal violence directly to the attempt to steal valuables, the Japanese legal system can apply stricter sentencing guidelines typically reserved for violent organized crime or premeditated theft.
