Iwao Hakamada Exonerated: Japan’s Longest-Serving Death Row Inmate Cleared After 40 Years

An 88-year-old former boxer, Iwao Hakamada, has been exonerated in a retrial of a 1966 quadruple murder case in Japan, ending his 40-year ordeal as the longest-serving death row inmate in the country.

The Shizuoka District Court ruled on Thursday that critical evidence used to convict him had been planted, clearing him of the charges he faced since 1968.

Hakamada’s sister, Hideko, 91, celebrated the verdict outside the court, thanking supporters for their long-standing advocacy.

The court’s decision was influenced by revelations that items of clothing, purportedly belonging to Hakamada and found in a miso tank over a year after the murders, did not retain bloodstains as prosecutors claimed.

The presiding judge concluded that the stains were added after the fact, a point supported by Hakamada’s legal team, which argued the evidence had been fabricated.

Hakamada was originally convicted based largely on a coerced confession obtained after 20 days of police interrogation, which he later retracted, claiming threats and abuse.

His case highlights serious concerns about the reliability of the judicial process in Japan, where forced confessions have been a contentious issue.

Following a retrial granted in 2014 due to new DNA evidence, the court’s ruling on Thursday not only overturned Hakamada’s conviction but also raised questions about the integrity of the evidence used against him.

His lead lawyer, Hideyo Ogawa, expressed hope that the ruling would bring closure to a long battle for justice.

While Japan maintains the death penalty, it has not carried out any executions since July 2022.

In contrast, the U.S. continues to execute inmates, with two recent cases highlighting ongoing debates about capital punishment and wrongful convictions.