The man accused of killing 21 year old Nicola Furlong in a Tokyo hotel last May broke down in court and told her family that he firmly believed he did not kill their daughter.
Richard Hinds from Memphis, Tennessee, said he was not "a professional strangler, a murderer or a pervert" but that he did feel deep remorse for the family of Ms Furlong.
For the first time during the trial the accused broke down adding that the death of Nicola had given him "a painful thorn".
Richard Hinds spoke after the prosecution and defence lawyers delivered their closing arguments.
Prosecutors have demanded a ten-year jail term for the 19 year old accused stating Richard Hinds had shown no remorse and had "violated the dignity" of Ms Furlong by trying to portray her as "promiscuous."
The judges have now retired to consider their verdict which is due next Tuesday.
