Kaoru Hasegawa, who put a knife in Prince Hisahito's desk, was sentenced to 18 months in prison but was given a four-year sentence.

"The accused Hasegawa was guilty of a selfish thought that he wanted attention," a district court judge in Tokyo, Japan, said during his sentencing session today.

According to the ruling, Hasegawa was sentenced to 18 months in prison, but suspended for execution and probation for 4 years. Under Japanese law, if the defendant did not break the law during this period and completed some re-education conditions, the judge may decide to cancel the sentence.

Hasegawa, 57, was arrested in April 2019 after breaking into the high school where Prince Hisahito attended and leaving two knives in the boy's desk compartment. School staff later discovered the knife.

Police said Hasegawa had left the knives due to "dissatisfaction with the monarchy" and "the emperor's succession." Hasegawa admitted to stabbing Prince Hisahito, but only left a knife to warn the Prince of Japan that he was there.

The case happened a few days before Hisahito's uncle Naruhito was crowned Emperor. Hisahito's father is Prince Fumihito, the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito. Hisahito is currently the second heir to the throne in Japan.