In Japan, a doctor who killed a patient suffering from an incurable disease by injecting him with drugs at his request was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
According to NHK and the Asahi Shimbun, on the 5th, the Kyoto District Court handed down this ruling to doctor Yoshikazu Okubo (45) on charges of ‘commissioned murder’ by injecting drugs into a patient suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) in 2019.
Okubo was arrested the following year on charges of killing a female patient (51 years old at the time) who was virtually paralyzed at the time of the incident by injecting drugs at an apartment in Kyoto City after receiving a request for euthanasia.
Okubo admitted to administering the drug, but maintained his innocence, saying, “It was to grant the patient’s wish.”
This case sparked a debate on the right to euthanasia in Japanese society from the time Okubo was arrested.
His lawyer said, “If the request for euthanasia is not met, the patient is being forced to live a life he does not want,” and “Punishing the defendant denies the patient’s choice or decision, and also violates the Constitution that stipulates the ‘right to self-determination.’” Logic has been laid out.
However, the judge who heard the case did not accept it, pointing out that the defendant was not a Lou Gehrig’s disease specialist, exchanged opinions through social media, and received compensation for euthanasia.
The judge said, “The defendant easily committed murder after only a 15-minute interview in which the patient’s intentions could not be properly confirmed. Also, considering that 1.3 million yen (approximately 11 million won) was received from the patient, it is difficult to say that the decision was truly made for the victim,” he said, adding, “The attitude of disregard for life is remarkable and deserves strong criticism.”
Regarding the patient’s right to self-determination, the ruling ruled, “It is assumed that the individual patient is alive, and even if he or she is facing fear or pain, it does not give him the right to demand assistance from others in order to end his own life.”
In addition, the court found Okubo guilty of participating in the 2011 murder of another doctor, Naoki Yamamoto, of his father, who suffered from mental illness.
Okubo’s side announced that it plans to appeal against this ruling.
Park Tae-geun,
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.