On Jan. 5, 21-year-old Yuki Muto was arrested for murdering his sister, Azumi, on Dec. 30 at their home in Shibuya, Tokyo. He reportedly told police that he killed Azumi because she criticized his unsuccessful attempts to get into dental college and belittled his ambitions, later adding that he was under tremendous pressure from his parents to become a dentist like his father.
Though the case is still ongoing, it seems obvious that the young man's psychological state would be the basis for his defense. However, when Muto's lawyer, who was presumably hired by his parents, held a press conference following the arrest, he did something unusual. He brought along a "representative of the parents," essentially to defend them.
This woman, apparently a friend of the family, told reporters that contrary to Yuki's statement, his parents had never pressured him to become a dentist, and, in fact, had encouraged him to pursue other vocations.