The Kyoto District Court acquitted the defendant in the shooting death of the president of Gyoza no Ohsho. The court found that there was insufficient decisive evidence to establish that the defendant was the perpetrator.
In the early morning of 19 December 2013, Daito Takayuki (大東隆行), then president of 王将フードサービス, was shot and killed in the parking lot outside the company's headquarters in Yamashina Ward, Kyoto. Tanaka Yukio (田中幸雄), an organized-crime group executive, was indicted on charges including murder.
At trial, the focus was on circumstantial evidence, including the fact that DNA from cigarette butts left near the scene matched the defendant's DNA. Prosecutors argued that the defendant had ambushed the victim near the scene. The court, however, found that circumstantial evidence alone could not establish that the defendant was the perpetrator.
Although prosecutors argued that the DNA match from the cigarette butts and security-camera footage indicated the defendant's involvement, the court acquitted him, finding that the facts did not provide a reasonable basis for concluding that he was the offender.
After the verdict, prosecutors said they would examine its contents and consult with the relevant higher authorities. The bereaved family issued a statement calling for an appeal. 王将フードサービス said it would continue to monitor the proceedings.