World's longest-serving death row inmate acquitted in Japan

Iwao Hakamada, an 88-year-old man, has recently been acquitted by a Japanese court after spending an astonishing 56 years on death row. This makes him the longest-serving death row inmate in the world. The court found that the evidence used to convict him was fabricated, leading to his wrongful conviction. Hakamada was originally found guilty in 1968 for the brutal murders of his boss, the boss's wife, and their two teenage children. He was sentenced to death, but after years of legal battles and public interest, he was granted a retrial. The case has been a significant legal saga in Japan, capturing the attention of many. On the day of the verdict, around 500 supporters gathered outside the courtroom in Shizuoka, eagerly waiting to hear the outcome. When the court announced that Hakamada was not guilty, his supporters erupted in cheers, shouting 'banzai', a Japanese expression of joy. Unfortunately, Hakamada could not attend the hearing due to his deteriorating mental health, which has been severely affected by his long years in solitary confinement. Since his release in 2014, he has been living with his 91-year-old sister, Hideko, who has tirelessly fought for his innocence. She expressed her overwhelming emotions upon hearing the verdict, stating that it was a moment of great joy and relief for her. Hakamada has often described his struggle for justice as a daily fight, emphasizing the mental toll it has taken on him. In 1966, Hakamada was working at a miso processing plant when the tragic events unfolded. The bodies of his employer and the family were discovered in their home, having been stabbed to death. Authorities quickly accused Hakamada of committing the murders, claiming he also set fire to the house and stole a significant amount of money. Initially, Hakamada denied the charges, but after enduring intense interrogations and physical abuse, he provided a confession that he later claimed was coerced. In 1968, he was convicted of murder and arson, receiving a death sentence. The case took a dramatic turn when evidence emerged regarding some clothes found in a tank of miso a year after Hakamada's arrest. These clothes, allegedly stained with blood, were used to implicate him in the crime. However, Hakamada's legal team argued that the DNA from the clothes did not match his, suggesting that the evidence may have been fabricated. This argument ultimately convinced Judge Hiroaki Murayama, who noted in 2014 that the clothes did not belong to Hakamada. The judge stated that it was unjust to continue detaining him, as the possibility of his innocence had become evident. Following this ruling, Hakamada was released from prison and granted a retrial. The lengthy legal process meant that it took several years for the retrial to commence, and it was only recently that the court delivered its final verdict. The key issue in the retrial was the nature of the red stains on the clothing that prosecutors claimed belonged to Hakamada. The defense argued that the stains had not aged properly, indicating that the evidence had been tampered with. The court ultimately concluded that investigators had indeed manipulated the evidence by placing blood on the clothes and hiding them in the miso tank. With this ruling, Hakamada was declared innocent, bringing an end to his long and painful ordeal. His sister, Hideko, has been a constant source of support throughout this journey, advocating for his release and well-being. Retrials for death row inmates are quite rare in Japan, and Hakamada's case marks only the fifth such instance in the country's post-war history. Japan remains one of the few countries that still enforces the death penalty, alongside the United States, with death row inmates often receiving very short notice before their executions.