Iwao Hakamada, an 88-year-old Japanese man, was acquitted by the Shizuoka Court after spending forty-six years on death row. This verdict was delivered during his review trial, marking the end of a long legal battle.
Hakamada was accused of killing his employer and three members of his family in 1966. In 1968, he was sentenced to the death penalty by the Shizuoka Court, a decision upheld in 1980 by the Japanese Supreme Court despite his retractions of his confession of guilt obtained under duress.
In 2014, doubts emerged following genetic testing proving the DNA on bloodied clothing did not match his, leading to his release. However, the Tokyo High Court later questioned the reliability of these DNA tests.
The Supreme Court ultimately ordered a new trial, and last May, prosecutors again sought the death penalty. Still, Hakamada was found innocent, a victory for his lawyers and supporters, including his sister Hideko.
His long detention left notable psychological after-effects. His case is a powerful symbol for the defenders, still a minority in Japan, of the abolition of the death penalty.
Despite this case, Japanese political leaders have no intention of eliminating capital punishment, a subject of debate in the country which refuses to change the practice.
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