In a landmark decision, an 88-year-old former boxer, Iwao Hakamada, was acquitted by a Japanese court on Thursday, ending more than half a century of wrongful imprisonment. Hakamada, who was convicted in 1968 of murdering his boss, the man’s wife, and their two teenage children, spent a staggering 46 years on death row before the Shizuoka District Court ruled that evidence against him had been fabricated.
Due to his declining health, Hakamada was unable to attend the court hearing to hear the verdict, but his 91-year-old sister, Hideko, represented him. Overcome with emotion, she bowed deeply to the judge as the verdict was read, marking a significant moment for both her and the long campaign for her brother’s exoneration.
The court found that investigators had tampered with evidence, including clothes that were allegedly stained with blood, which were hidden in a tank of miso (fermented soybean paste). The ruling also condemned the use of “inhumane interrogations” that inflicted mental and physical pain on Hakamada, and criticized the prosecution for obtaining records that infringed on his right to remain silent, creating conditions that likely elicited a false confession.
The case, which has drawn public attention and criticism of Japan’s justice system, saw hundreds of people queuing outside the court to witness the verdict. “I went to the prosecutors’ office and said, ‘don’t force us to fight until I turn 100’,” Hideko remarked to reporters, emphasizing the long struggle for justice.
Hakamada is notably the fifth death row inmate in Japan’s post-war history to be granted a retrial, with all previous cases resulting in exoneration. His lead lawyer, Hideyo Ogawa, expressed concern for Hakamada’s mental state after decades spent mostly in solitary confinement. “Sometimes he seems to live in a world of fantasy,” Ogawa stated.
Describing the emotional toll of the ordeal, Hakamada once likened his fight for acquittal to “fighting a bout every day.” His supporters took measures to shield him from watching the verdict live, removing batteries from his television remote control, allowing for a more controlled announcement of his acquittal.
Hakamada’s case highlights significant issues within Japan’s criminal justice system, often described as “hostage justice,” where defendants can be detained for extended periods without trial. Activists and supporters expressed that his acquittal is a painful reminder of the need for reform within the system. Atsushi Zukeran, a supporter, stated that the case emphasizes the need for change, while Human Rights Watch condemned the prolonged suffering Hakamada endured.
Amnesty International celebrated the acquittal, calling it an important recognition of the profound injustice faced by Hakamada. Boram Jang, an East Asia Researcher for the organization, expressed their joy at the outcome, noting the 10-year wait for the retrial after his release from prison in 2014.
As Japan continues to grapple with its stance on capital punishment—one of the few industrialized democracies to retain the death penalty—Hakamada’s acquittal serves as a poignant reminder of the potential for wrongful convictions and the ongoing need for justice reform.
