TOKYO. Japan’s Shizuoka District Court on Thursday acquitted Iwao Hakamada, an 88-year-old former boxer, who had spent 48 years on death row for a 1966 quadruple murder. The court’s decision overturned a conviction that made him the world’s longest-serving death row inmate, sparking renewed debate over Japan’s death penalty and justice system.
Hakamada, convicted in 1968 for the murder of a company executive and three family members, had always maintained his innocence. His lawyer, Hideyo Ogawa, confirmed that the court ruled the evidence used in the case had been falsified and planted by investigators, declaring Hakamada was not the culprit. “The evidence was fabricated,” Ogawa said.
Following the acquittal, Hakamada’s 91-year-old sister, Hideko, emerged from the courthouse with a beaming smile, holding two bouquets. She thanked supporters and media, saying, “Thank you, everyone, we won an acquittal. When I heard the ruling, it felt almost divine. I couldn’t stop crying with joy.”
Hakamada’s case gained international attention for highlighting flaws in Japan’s criminal justice system. His initial confession, later recanted, was made after police allegedly forced him into it during a violent interrogation. Hakamada had written to his mother in 1967, while on trial, stating, “I have nothing to do with the case… I am innocent.”
The court found that key evidence used to convict him — five pieces of bloodstained clothing supposedly found in a tank of fermented soybean paste — had been tampered with. Scientific tests showed the bloodstains would not have remained visible after a year soaked in miso. Additionally, the blood samples did not match Hakamada’s DNA, and the trousers presented as evidence were too small for him. The court also criticized the police for forcing a confession through an “inhumane” interrogation.
Hakamada spent nearly half a century in solitary confinement. Since his release in 2014, when a court first ruled there was evidence of his wrongful conviction, his health has deteriorated. However, his supporters hope that with his name now cleared, he can live his remaining years in peace.
The acquittal has also reignited calls to abolish the death penalty in Japan. The Japan Federation of Bar Associations urged the government to act swiftly to prevent such miscarriages of justice. Reiko Fuchigami, the group’s chairperson, said, “The Hakamada case shows the cruelty of the wrongful death penalty, and the tragedy should never be repeated.”
While prosecutors have yet to decide whether they will appeal the ruling, Hakamada’s defense team is considering suing the government for compensation and to further expose the flawed investigation.
Japan remains one of two G7 nations that still enforce the death penalty, along with the United States. Critics have long pointed to Japan’s reliance on confessions, often obtained under duress, as a key flaw in its legal system. Hakamada’s case stands as a powerful reminder of the human cost of such failures, and for many, his acquittal marks a victory for justice after decades of suffering.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
