The Kyoto District Court acquitted Tanaka Yukio (田中幸雄), who was accused of carrying out the 2013 shooting of the president of Gyoza no Ohsho.
The incident occurred in December 2013, when Daito Takayuki (大東隆行), then president of 王将フードサービス, which operates Gyoza no Ohsho restaurants, was shot and killed. On the 16th, the Kyoto District Court acquitted defendant Tanaka Yukio (田中幸雄) of charges including murder.
The trial focused on circumstantial evidence found near the scene, particularly the matching DNA profile associated with cigarette butts found nearby. However, the court concluded that the defendant's involvement could not be established because the cigarette butts may have been brought by another perpetrator and the other evidence was insufficient.
Daito Takayuki (大東隆行), portrayed as a “charismatic” leader who helped the company overcome a management crisis, made a habit of cleaning early in the morning and is believed to have been targeted when he arrived at work. At the time of the incident, he supported the business foundation of 王将フードサービス, and longtime friends received the acquittal with astonishment.
The presiding judge noted that the cigarette butts could be recognized as having been smoked by the defendant, but that the possibility that another actual perpetrator brought them to the scene could not be ruled out. The judge said uncertainty remained about the full picture of the crime and that it could not be conclusively determined. The Kyoto District Public Prosecutors Office said it would examine the verdict and consider its next steps.