Former Nomura Securities Employee Given 18-year Prison Sentence for Arson, Attempted Murder-Robbery in Hiroshima

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:17 JST, March 3, 2026

HIROSHIMA — The Hiroshima district court handed down an 18-year prison sentence to a former employee of Nomura Securities Co. for arson and attempted murder-robbery of an elderly woman.

According to the ruling, Yusei Kajiwara, 30, gave the woman sleeping pills at her home in Nishi Ward, Hiroshima City, and stole about ¥18 million on July 28, 2024. He then set fire to the house.

The woman and her husband were his customers.

During the court proceedings, the prosecution and the defense argued over whether the arson constituted attempted murder. Prosecutors claimed there were flammable objects, such as a bookshelf, around where Kajiwara started the fire.

“The act was extremely dangerous and could have easily resulted in her death,” the prosecutors said.

The defense, however, demanded that the court dismiss the charge of attempted murder-robbery, saying, “He only attempted to burn the closet where the bag containing the cash was, and didn’t intend to kill her.”