Japan executes prisoner who killed 7 in Tokyo street rampage

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has executed a man who killed seven people in a vehicle crash and stabbing rampage in a Tokyo shopping district in 2008. Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa told reporters Tomohiro Kato was hanged earlier Tuesday. Japan has maintained the death penalty despite growing international criticism. In the attack, Kato drove down his truck on a street in the Akihabara electronics shopping area, slamming into people and killing three pedestrians. He then got out of the vehicle and stabbed four people to death. He reportedly had posted on internet message boards despondent messages and warnings that he was planning to kill people in a mass attack.