Today is the last day in the two-week trial of Yosef Greenwald, one of the yeshiva bochrim imprisoned in Japan. Among the witnesses brought in to testify on behalf of the young defendant was Rabbi Eliyahu Katz, a prominent member of the Satmar community in Eretz Yisrael.

The closing arguments will be heard in about a month, and it is expected that the sentence will take another month.

At 2:00am (Israel time – 8:00am Tokyo time), a critical phase of the trial will be taking place, with the prosecution and defense facing off, each working to win over the court’s sympathy. Defendant Yosef Greenwald is also expected to play a role in the court proceeding.

Rav Katz and other rabbonim from Eretz Yisrael and Europe remain in Japan at present, along with a number of askanim.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)