Two defendants sentenced to life imprisonment in Chiba District Court in a series of underground part-time job robberies in the Tokyo metropolitan area

A communications line operator with no fixed residence who was charged with crimes such as robbery resulting in death and arrest and confinement for playing a role in the "dark part-time job" robberies that occurred one after another in the Tokyo metropolitan area in 2024 in Chiba Prefecture and Yokohama City. On the 6th, the Chiba District Court (presiding judge Koichiro Hino) sentenced both defendants to life in prison, as requested, in the jury trial of Hiiragi Fujii (28), a company employee, and Rikuto Kubota (23), an unemployed man with no fixed residence.

According to the verdict, on October 15, 2024, both defendants broke into a private house in Yokohama's Aoba Ward, assaulted the male resident (75 at the time), and stole cash. The man died from bleeding due to bruises all over his body.

In addition, both defendants were involved in robberies resulting in injury in Funabashi City and Ichikawa City in Chiba Prefecture, and defendant Fujii was involved in a robbery resulting in injury in Shirai City.

The defense argued that both defendants committed the crime after being instructed to do so, but the judgment said, ``It could not be said that it was difficult for them to refuse the invitation of the instructor, and they played an essential role (in the commission of the crime).'' Although the statements of the two defendants differed regarding the details of the assault on the deceased man, ``we cannot accept a division of roles that would result in a large difference in criminal responsibility.''

The defense also argued that Kubota may have borderline intelligence, but the verdict stated, ``There is no doubt that Kubota had the ability to judge right from wrong.''

Four defendants, including Hiroto Fukuchi (27), who is believed to have been the instigator, were indicted on charges including robbery resulting in death.In October 2026, a man believed to have been in charge of the deadly robbery in Aoba Ward, Yokohama City, was arrested.

After the verdict, a total of six jurors and supplementary jurors held a press conference.