Woman gets 5 years in prison for killing newborn in Tokyo airport toilet

Only 5 Years for MURDER? This has to be a joke! What the heck Japan‼️

She born a baby in the airport toilet, why nobody has noticed?

Throughout the trial, Sayuri Kitai had admitted to the charges, saying, "I panicked, my mind went blank, …”

But Presiding Judge Toshiro Nohara dismissed her claim, saying, "The defendant was calm when she gave birth, …”

A statement like this makes me question the competency of the judge. Giving birth — particularly a first birth — is generally not be a calm experience for any woman.

heartbreaking

The Japanese judicial system is laughable. Why didn’t the judge throw the book at her and set a precedent from here on in. This is murder, plain and simple. Poor little baby girl - RIP little one.

Murder. 5 years. What is wrong with the judiciary in Japan?

5 years?! FIVE years for the intentional and deliberate murder of a helpless infant who barely took their first breaths?? This is abhorrent. What kind of justice system does Japan have that makes them think 5 years is enough punishment for such a heinous crime? She should get life at the very least and this case should be a huge wake up call for the Japanese government to start putting their backs into providing resources for women who find themselves pregnant and at a loss on what to do.

Horrible things like this could be lessened if only the pill and the morning after pill are easier and cheaper to get for women in this country.

ScorpionToday  06:44 am JST

Only 5 Years for MURDER? This has to be a joke! What the heck Japan‼️

Are you surprised?

Japanese killing their children or those of their partner biologically related or not, rarely get long prison terms.

In my 30 years here it is usually something like 7 years at the most.

Note is said Japanese, this does not apply to non Japanese.

What makes this even sadder is that the waiting list for "special adoption" a way of adopting usually very young children without it being note as an adoption in the family registration and the birth being stricken from the birth mother's family registration is very long.

She could have just given the baby that same day to the authorities no questions asked or dropped it off in one of the baby Hutch available in many prefectures now.

Some couple would have been thrilled to raise the child as their own.

Only 5 years for an infant's life? How about 76-80 years of the potential life the infant could have had? Good job Japan! I have so much faith in your justice system!

Note is said Japanese, this does not apply to non Japanese.

like most things in Japan

Good job Japan! I have so much faith in your justice system!

Likewise! and you are being generous calling it a justice system

Oh god.. I remember passing through this area on the day that they discovered the newborn girl's body and seeing all of the police and other emergency vehicles :(

A 5 year prison sentence for child murder is a sickening joke and Japan really needs to get it's act together and actually start to take child welfare seriously. Because nobody should be getting such lenient sentences for a crime as heinous as murdering a newborn baby!

I am not excusing her action, but is this not pretty much the same as a partial birth abortion, which the "progressive" factions in the West very much support? Seems to be some context is missing, when I look at the comments.

Presiding Judge Toshiro Nohara described her acts as "selfish and short-sighted," saying Kitai killed the baby girl to avoid any impact on her job search.

only 5 years and this is what the judge has to say? "selfish and short-sighted" is quite the understatement for someone who strangled their baby to death!

WilliBToday 11:16 am JST

I am not excusing her action, but is this not pretty much the same as a partial birth abortion, which the "progressive" factions in the West very much support? Seems to be some context is missing, when I look at the comments.

I am not really sure about that, but there are clearly similarities between a late abortion and to kill a newborn.

Both is not the right way to go for a woman if you ask me.

There is no excuse, no justification for what she did. She had time enough to report to a clinic for abortion. Even after birth, she could give the child up for adoption or at least for temporary foster care.

Should have been a life sentence.

WilliB, you have to be kidding!

Horrible child killer. Deserved a longer stretch in prison, but 5 years is at least something. She will never get a job with murder on her record, which is a good thing.

Rest in Peace to the poor little baby, never even given a chance.

She probably needs to go to a mental hospital rather than prison.

Contraception and abortion are freely available in Japan. Can this woman not think?

Sorry, not free, but readily available. Why are some people so shocked at getting pregnant after having sex without condoms?

In family murder always get stupidly low punishments

I know many women who are single mothers. She could have raised the baby by herself. After all there's Government support for single mothers. Very sad story.

Lisa Twaronite writes:

"Poor woman -- I can only imagine the kind of desperation she must have felt, to do what most people find unthinkable. I once faced an unwanted pregnancy in Tokyo and I knew my husband wouldn't give me permission to get an abortion (such permission was legally required at the time), so I understand how trapped she must have felt. One woman's blessing is another woman's curse! If only she had been able to prevent the pregnancy in the first place."

It is simply not true that a husband's permission was "legally required" for an abortion in Japan...

MatejToday 10:15 am JST

i dont feel well.

five years is a joke....not nice one...

I don't think it's a joke - Five years - A Japanese prison is not known to be comfortable.

ScorpionSep. 25  06:44 am JST

Only 5 Years for MURDER? This has to be a joke! What the heck Japan‼️

> elephant200Sep. 25  06:54 am JST

She born a baby in the airport toilet, why nobody has noticed?

Absolutely ridiculous and disgusting. Five years ain't enough for this heinious crime.

Hopefully this woman gets the help and rehabilitation she needs.

Japan needs healthy and productive child bearing mothers to offset a declining population. More needs to be done to prevent such tragedies.

ScorpionSep. 25  06:44 am JST

Only 5 Years for MURDER? This has to be a joke! What the heck Japan‼️

You must be new here. It’s often 0 years. I’m honestly surprised to see this sentence.