The friend of Nicola Furlong broke down in court in Japan today as she re-lived the night she died. This was 3rd day of the trial in Tokyo over the death of the 21-year-old foreign exchange student from Wexford.

The friend who cannot be identified recounted how they both attended a concert in the Japanese capital. Her friend told the court she cannot remember the taxi journey to the hotel where Nicola was found unconscious before she died.

Yesterday the doctor who carried out the autopsy on her body gave evidence that he believed strangulation was the most likely cause of death.

Drugs ruled out

19-year-old American musician Richard Hinds has admitted strangling the 21-year-old in a hotel last year but he denies killing her intentionally. The drugs found in her system have been ruled out as factors in her death.

Irish Times Tokyo correspondent David McNeill was in court today. He says there is disagreement between the witness and the defence over the amount of alcohol she and Nicola consumed.

He spoke to Breakfast here on Newstalk.