“You Negotiate”: Former Self-Defense Forces Officer Who Broke Into Chinese Embassy with a Knife Reveals “Divine Revelation” in Court

“I will slaughter you all”

The first hearing for defendant Kodai Murata (24), a former Third Lieutenant in the Ground Self-Defense Force who is charged with trespassing and other offenses after breaking into the Chinese Embassy in Minato Ward, Tokyo, armed with a knife, was held on October 1 at the Tokyo District Court.

According to the indictment, Murata—who was assigned to the Ebino Garrison of the Ground Self-Defense Force at the time of the incident—climbed over the barbed-wire-topped outer wall and entered the grounds of the Chinese Embassy around 9:00 a.m. on March 24 of this year. He placed a knife with an 18-centimeter blade in a flower bed and told embassy staff:

“A Japanese patriot will execute you on behalf of the gods,”

and handed him a piece of paper bearing those words, thereby threatening him.

Defendant Murata, who appeared in court with a shaved head, was wearing a black suit. Although he is small and slender for a Self-Defense Forces officer, his thick, arched eyebrows and stern expression conveyed a sense of strong will.

Regarding the charges , he stated in a firm tone, “I admit to trespassing and violating the Firearms and Swords Control Law,” but concerning the charge of intimidation, he said, “I will leave that decision to my attorney.” His defense attorney argued , “He merely indicated the possibility of an attack by a third party (a ‘patriot’); he had no intention of causing harm himself, ” signaling an intention to contest the charge.

According to the opening statement read by the prosecution, defendant Murata, a native of Okayama Prefecture, enlisted in the Self-Defense Forces in ’25 after graduating from university. He reportedly developed a distaste for China’s response to the territorial dispute between Japan and China over the Senkaku Islands during his student days, which led him to join the Self-Defense Forces to protect Japan.

His dissatisfaction continued to grow over China’s response to the Taiwan issue, and he resolved to appeal to the Chinese ambassador, asking him to “refrain from making statements regarding Taiwan.”He also thought, “If I cannot meet with the ambassador, I will commit suicide,” and entered the embassy armed with a knife. While in custody, he underwent a psychiatric evaluation, which concluded that “the effects of medication had radicalized his usual beliefs.”

First, a written statement from the defendant Murata’s mother was read aloud.

“I thought Kodai was working diligently, so I couldn’t believe he was involved in this incident. From the letters we exchanged while he was in custody, I could tell he was showing remorse. He was taking medication without seeing a doctor in an attempt to cure his stage fright; since my husband is a pharmacist, I wish he had consulted him. However, I don’t intend to blame it all on the medication.”

She described the anguish she felt as a mother. Next, the defendant Murata was questioned on the stand.

During training, Defendant Murata had been assigned the task of observing the impact points of bullets fired by his teammates.During training last July, she was assigned the role of leader, but she was reprimanded by her superior for “getting so nervous that my mind went blank, and I ended up giving chaotic orders.” Realizing she needed to work on her tendency to get nervous, she reportedly began taking “Furnil”—a medication said to be effective for panic disorder—which she had imported privately.

“Japan Is Being Looked Down Upon by China”

Although he was required to report to his superiors whenever he visited the clinic, he began importing medication on his own because he “didn’t want it to be seen as a serious issue.” However, he reportedly “did not feel” any effect from the medication. That said, as mentioned earlier, while in custody pending forensic evaluation, he was diagnosed with “a mental disorder caused by the medication, which intensified his usual way of thinking.” Whether this was indeed the cause or not,

“I would buy things I wouldn’t normally buy because they were expensive, and I did strength training and ran every day,”

he testified.

Defendant Murata, who claims that a “divine revelation” led him to decide to commit the crime, began describing the content of a dream he claimed to have had on March 22 when asked, “What kind of dream was it?”

“Behind a bamboo blind, there was a figure who looked like a Japanese deity. I was told, ‘Japan is being looked down upon by China. You must negotiate.’ It made such a vivid impression on me that I decided to act exactly as the message instructed.”

On the day of the crime, he traveled to Tokyo by bus and Shinkansen. Regarding his possession of a kitchen knife,

“I thought I would take my own life if I failed. I thought it would demonstrate the strength of my stance. If I harmed the other party, it wouldn’t be a negotiation,”

he insisted that his intention was never to cause harm. When asked about his current state of mind,

“I’m sorry for causing fear and worry to the staff,”

he apologized, adding,

“I met my parents while in custody, and seeing them in tears made me realize just how terrible my actions were,”

he expressed remorse. When asked by the prosecution, “Will you take political action again?” he denied it, saying, “I have no intention of doing so.” However, regarding his beliefs,

“I may continue to hold such views in my heart,”

he answered honestly.

At a regular press conference on October 8, Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented on the first court hearing, stating,

“The fact that an active-duty Japanese Self-Defense Forces officer entered the Chinese Embassy in Japan while in possession of a knife and made violent threats against a Chinese diplomat is an unprecedentedly malicious incident in the international community” (from the Japanese edition of People’s Daily Online, published October 8, ’26)

.

“China once again urges Japan to severely punish the criminal” (ibid.)

, calling for severe punishment. Defendant Murata allowed his distorted sense of justice to run amok, leaving a stain on Japan-China relations.

The next court hearing is scheduled for November 10. Closing arguments will be presented, and the trial will conclude.