TOKYO – In a poignant moment of justice and accountability, a senior Japanese public prosecutor on Nov 27 bowed in apology to Mr. Iwao Hakamada, the world’s longest-serving death row prisoner, whose conviction for a quadruple murder in 1966 was overturned in 2024 after decades of controversy.
Mr. Hakamada, 88, spent 46 years on death row before being acquitted in September, with the court ruling that key evidence in the case had been fabricated. This landmark decision made him the fifth death row inmate in Japan’s post-war history to secure a retrial, all of which resulted in exonerations.
Regional chief prosecutor Hideo Yamada visited Mr. Hakamada’s home to express remorse on behalf of the judicial system. “We feel terribly remorseful that Mr. Iwao Hakamada was put into legally unstable conditions for a significantly long period of time, forcing you and (your sister) Hideko to face hard times that are barely possible to put into words,” Mr. Yamada said, bowing deeply in apology.
Mr. Hakamada’s sister, Hideko, 91, who has long been his advocate and voice, expressed gratitude for the visit. “We are extremely happy that he was found innocent. Thank you for coming today,” she said.
The apology follows an earlier visit in October by the local police chief, reflecting growing acknowledgment of the miscarriage of justice. Mr. Hakamada’s case has drawn international attention to Japan’s use of capital punishment. Japan remains one of the few major industrialized democracies, alongside the United States, to retain the death penalty, a policy with broad public support.
Despite Mr. Hakamada’s exoneration, Japan’s stance on capital punishment remains unchanged. Former Justice Minister Hideki Makihara, just weeks after Mr. Hakamada’s acquittal, stated that abolishing the death penalty would be “inappropriate” given the persistence of heinous crimes. He pledged to be “cautious and extremely sincere” when making decisions on death sentences.
Mr. Hakamada’s case underscores ongoing debates about the risks of wrongful convictions in capital cases and the need for judicial reforms to prevent similar injustices.