<figure id="attachment_414361" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1024px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-414361"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5362e061"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/02/086271debdc6284871094d7ef0f4f003.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-414361" class="wp-caption-text">At the time of the incident, many investigators gathered near the scene.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Not a word was uttered until the court closed</h2>
&#8220;The defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment.&#8221;
A heavy sentence was handed down to one of the perpetrators of the so-called &#8220;Luffy-wide robbery case.&#8221;
In January 2023, Hiroyuki Nomura (54) was charged with robbery resulting in death after breaking into a house in Komae City, Tokyo, with the intent to commit robbery and assaulting a 90-year-old woman, identified as A, who later died. On February 18, the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Court sentenced Nomura to life imprisonment.
After eight court hearings, the prosecution sought a life sentence for Nomura, while the defense partially denied the charges, stating, &#8220;He admitted to participating but denied committing violence.&#8221; However, the court ruled in accordance with the prosecution&#8217;s demand, stating, &#8220;This was an extremely selfish crime driven by financial motives, and there are no mitigating circumstances.&#8221;
Nomura and three other perpetrators followed a plan devised by the masterminds, including Yuki Watanabe (40) and Masato Imamura (40), who allegedly used the alias &#8220;Luffy.&#8221; Disguised as a delivery worker, Nomura and the others broke into A&#8217;s home.
Nearly 50 people gathered in the courtroom at the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Court, many of whom appeared to be in their early twenties or students, highlighting the high level of public interest in the case.
Nomura appeared in court with a stern expression, wearing a navy blue tracksuit and toilet sandals. His hair showed slight signs of bedhead. Before the hearing began, he occasionally glanced at the audience seats. Once the session started, he moved to the witness stand with a notebook and a marker pen, listening to Judge Akira Sugawara’s reading of the ruling for about 30 minutes without changing his expression. He remained silent until the trial concluded.
The key issue in the trial was whether Nomura had participated in the assault. His claim that &#8220;he was involved in the robbery but not in the violence&#8221; contradicted the testimonies of two other perpetrators.
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Where is the money?"></div>
<h2>More than 20 fractures</h2>
<figure id="attachment_414362" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-414362"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ea4d6eba"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/02/638bd971064915410cc104ab1c26f94a.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-414362" class="wp-caption-text">Imamura is sent to prison.</figcaption></figure>
Nomura&#8217;s defense claimed that he had been in a subordinate role, testifying that he was threatened with statements such as &#8220;If you don&#8217;t do it, we&#8217;ll kill your daughter and son!&#8221; and &#8220;If you don&#8217;t do it, I&#8217;ll kill you!&#8221; He also asserted that he was coerced by Riku Nagata (23), the leader among the perpetrators.
However, the presiding judge dismissed this argument, stating, &#8220;The defendant&#8217;s statements contain falsehoods, and he carried out the assault without hesitation.&#8221; Based on testimonies from accomplices, the court described the brutal nature of the crime, explaining how Nomura tied A’s hands with zip ties and harshly interrogated her, shouting, &#8220;Old hag! Where’s the money?&#8221; He was found to have struck her six to eight times with a crowbar. The judge further noted, &#8220;A’s body suffered more than 20 fractures. The pain she endured, ultimately leading to her death, was unimaginable—tantamount to torture.&#8221;
When the verdict was announced, Nomura exchanged a few words with his attorney before murmuring, &#8220;Another day,&#8221; under his breath. He then glanced at the prosecution, surveyed the room, and exited the courtroom.
<figure id="attachment_414366" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 761px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-414366"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="c602521f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/02/cd3e3636fbbe2f1df6853a58d67eba3c-1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-414366" class="wp-caption-text">Defendant Watanabe with no timetable for the start of his trial.</figcaption></figure>
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Regarding the perpetrators of the Komae City incident, last year, Riku Nagata, who was considered the leader, and Shingo Kato (26) were sentenced to life imprisonment. Kazunari Nakanishi (21), who was a university student at the time, received a 23-year prison sentence. With the addition of Nomura, this marks the third life sentence handed down. However, the trials for Watanabe and Imamura, the alleged masterminds, have yet to be scheduled.
A lawyer involved in the case revealed:
&#8220;The trials of Yuki Watanabe, Masato Imamura, and other group leaders may or may not begin within the year. The sheer volume of evidence—reportedly amounting to hundreds of pieces, including related cases—is the primary reason for the delay.&#8221;
All the perpetrators have filed appeals. The Luffy robbery gang, which shocked the nation, remains a complex case. Just like their intricate criminal operations, the trials are proving to be equally convoluted, with full clarification of the case still a long way off.
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 Shimei Kurita

 Kyodo News (1st and 3rd photos) Shinji Hasuo

 In January 2011, a robber broke into a house in Komae City, Tokyo. On February 18, Hiroyuki Nomura, 54, was sentenced for robbery and manslaughter for assaulting and killing a 90-year-old woman, Mrs. A, in January 2011. What did the defendant say and do at the trial?

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