JAPAN: TOP COURT REJECTS APPEAL, FINALIZING DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER-ROBBERY

March 2, 2012: In Japan, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by a 66-year-old man sentenced to death for robbing and murdering a couple in Saitama Prefecture in February 2007.
The top court's second petty bench rejected the appeal filed by Minoru Iwamori, thereby finalizing the death sentence imposed by the Tokyo High Court in March 2009.
In March 2008, the Saitama District Court initially sentenced Iwamori to life in prison for killing a 69-year-old man and his 67-year-old wife on Feb. 21, 2007 by beating them about the head and face with a blunt instrument, and stealing about 10,000 yen in cash. The district court ruled the murder was not premeditated.
In overturning that ruling a year later, the high court said Iwamori had planned to rob and murder the couple from the time he visited their home, and had shown no sign of sincere regret. (Sources: Kyodo, 03/03/2012)