Man accused of murdering his wife by giving her methanol goes on trial
TOKYO–A 42-year-old man accused of killing his 40-year-old wife by poisoning her with methanol in 2022, went on trial in Tokyo on Monday.
In the opening session of his trial at the Tokyo District Court, Keisuke Yoshida, a former employee in the research department for pharmaceutical maker Daiichi Sankyo Co, denied giving his wife Yoko the methanol at their apartment in Ota Ward between Jan 14 and 16, 2022, Kyodo News reported.
Yoshida told the court that he never had any intention to kill his wife, nor did he make her ingest methanol.
According to his attorney, Yoko consumed the methanol on her own.
According to what the court heard, Yoshida dialled 119 early on January 16 to report that his wife had passed out. After being brought to the hospital, she passed away later that day.
Methanol poisoning was found to be the cause of death after an autopsy, yet it was not possible to ascertain how it was consumed.
According to the prosecution, Yoshida had access to methanol at work and neglected to seek for emergency medical assistance when his wife appeared to be experiencing signs of methanol poisoning.
The trial is expected to last for fifteen sessions, and on October 30, a verdict will be rendered.