The Nagoya District Court sentenced a 56-year-old man to death Wednesday for killing two women, in Shizuoka and Aichi prefectures, and robbing them of their cash and bankbooks.
The court found Yoshimi Toyoda guilty of the August 1996 murder of Kazuko Nakano, 44, and the September 1997 slaying of Hide Shinoda, 62. The court said he killed the two to avoid repaying money the women had loaned him.
In handing down the sentence sought by prosecutors, Judge Tetsukazu Yamamoto said, "The criminal nature of the defendant is extremely clear, judging from his selfish character, contempt for human life and lack of moral standards."
Yamamoto said Toyoda used people until they were of no use to him anymore and did not flinch from taking their lives when that time came.