'Record' payout for world's longest-serving death row inmate

Iwao Hakamata, an elderly man aged 89, has made headlines recently due to a significant legal decision regarding his long and troubled past. He was convicted in 1968 for the brutal murders of his boss, his boss's wife, and their two children. However, after spending nearly five decades on death row, he was acquitted last year following a retrial that raised serious doubts about the evidence used to convict him. In a landmark ruling, Hakamata will receive a compensation of 217 million yen, which is approximately 1. 45 million dollars. This amount is being reported as the largest payout ever awarded in a criminal case in Japan. Hakamata's legal team argued that the nearly 50 years he spent in prison had a devastating impact on his mental and physical health. Judge Kunii Koshi, who presided over the case, acknowledged the severe suffering Hakamata endured during his time in detention. The Japanese government will be responsible for this financial compensation, marking a significant moment in the history of Japan's legal system. The case of Iwao Hakamata is not just a story of one man's fight for justice; it is also a reflection of the broader issues within Japan's criminal justice system. Hakamata was granted a rare retrial in 2014, after new evidence emerged that suggested investigators may have tampered with evidence to secure his conviction. Last September, a crowd gathered at a court in Shizuoka, a city located on Japan's southern coast, to witness the moment when a judge declared him not guilty. The atmosphere was filled with excitement as supporters cheered 'banzai,' which translates to 'hurray' in Japanese. Unfortunately, Hakamata was unable to attend the hearing due to his deteriorating mental health. Since his release, he has been living with his sister, Hideko, who is 91 years old. She has been a tireless advocate for her brother, fighting for decades to clear his name and prove his innocence. The tragic events that led to Hakamata's wrongful conviction began in 1966 when he was working at a miso processing plant. The bodies of his boss, his boss's wife, and their two children were discovered in a fire at their home, and all four had been stabbed to death. Authorities quickly accused Hakamata of the murders, claiming he had set fire to the house and stolen 200,000 yen in cash. Initially, he denied the accusations, but after enduring intense interrogations that lasted up to 12 hours a day, he eventually provided a confession that he later described as coerced. In 1968, he was sentenced to death. Over the years, Hakamata's lawyers consistently argued that DNA evidence collected from the victims did not match his, and they alleged that the evidence had been planted by investigators. Although he was granted a retrial in 2014, the lengthy legal process delayed the start of the retrial until last October. This case has sparked significant discussions about the flaws in Japan's justice system, particularly concerning the lengthy duration of retrials and the troubling issue of forced confessions.