Tatsuya Ichihashi, in court in Chiba, admitted tying up and raping the 22-year-old and causing her death but claimed he did not intend to kill her.
Miss Hawker's body was found in a sand-filled bath on the balcony of his Tokyo apartment in 2007.
Ichihashi said in court: "I had no intention of murder but I'm responsible for the death of Ms Lindsay. I'm the one who scared her and left her dead. I'm really, really sorry."
The defendant knelt on the floor and bowed deeply twice to the Hawker family as he entered the court, according to public broadcaster NHK.
His lawyers argued he had tried to revive the Briton after suffocating her by accident in a bid to stop her crying out to his neighbours for help.
Suspect was arrested in November 2009 after more than two years on the run. Japanese media have reported that the 32-year-old had plastic surgery to hide his identity.
Mr Ichihashi was arrested in Osaka when he tried to board a ferry bound for Japan's southernmost island of Okinawa.
Wearing black jeans and a black shirt, the accused did not reveal details of the killing but said tearfully: "During the trial, I will speak about what happened."
Six citizen jurors and three professional judges are due to judge the high-profile case under Japan's limited jury system.
Miss Hawker's parents, Bill and Julia, and their daughters Lisa, 29, and Louise, 24, are all in Japan for the trial.
"I'm here to get justice for my daughter," Mr Hawker said. "It's been a long time coming.
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