Mayu Tomita is dreading the day that will arrive 14 years and six months from now. That is when her stalker, who repeatedly stabbed the college student singer over a perceived snub, will be released from prison.
“I can only feel anxiety and fear knowing that the suspect will be walking the streets after just 14 years,” Tomita, 21, said in a statement released through her lawyers.
The Tachikawa Branch of the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 28 convicted Tomohiro Iwazaki, 28, of attempting to murder Tomita and sentenced him to 14-and-a-half years in prison.
The victim, who was gravely wounded in the attack that occurred in a Tokyo suburb in May last year, is dissatisfied with the sentence. The suspect’s erratic behavior in the court, including yelling at his victim, has exacerbated her fears.
Tomita was in a separate room at the court house when the verdict was announced. Upon hearing the sentence, she said, “I thought even the 17 years (demanded by prosecutors) wasn’t long enough,” and then she fell silent, the lawyers said.
According to the investigation, Iwazaki, an unemployed resident from Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, became infatuated with the singer after seeing her perform. He started attending her shows, tried chatting with her online and gave her gifts.
After she returned the gifts, an angry Iwazaki harassed and menaced the student online so much that she consulted police about him in May last year.
On May 21, Iwazaki attacked Tomita in Koganei in western Tokyo, just outside a concert venue where she was scheduled to perform that evening.
According to the sentence, he attempted to murder the victim by repeatedly stabbing her in the neck and other parts of her body using a folding knife.
The assault paralyzed Tomita’s tongue and other body parts and caused her to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.
The defense argued that the attack was an impulsive act and not premeditated.
But the judge rejected this argument by noting that Iwazaki bought the weapon after learning of Tomita’s performance schedule.
“He intended to murder the victim if she was unwilling to talk to him,” the judge said. “He stabbed the victim’s neck and chest multiple times, clearly showing he had the intent to kill.”
The judge also rejected as illogical and untrustworthy Izawaki’s claim that he was carrying the knife simply as a “spiritual talisman.”
“His actions were dangerous as well as malicious, and the impact on the victim was severe,” the judge said in handing down the sentence.
