'Longest-serving Death Row Inmate' Exonerated at 88... 91-Year-Old Sister Fought to Prove Innocence [Japanese Side]

Death of Executive Family Member... Arrested for Being a 'Former Pro Boxer'
Police Extracted Confession Through Beating... 48 Years Imprisoned with Death Sentence
10-Year Retrial... Exonerated at Ages 91 and 88

This week in Japan, there were many noteworthy news stories, including the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election. Among them, the news keyword that caused a stir both inside and outside Japan was 'retrial.' This is because Iwao Hakamada, who holds the Guinness World Record as the longest-serving death row inmate in the world, was acquitted on the 26th. After serving as a death row inmate for 48 years and being cleared of charges, he is now 88 years old. This caused a huge shock within Japan as well.

The heartbreaking story of a former professional boxer who spent 48 years in prison and was eventually found innocent attracted the attention of foreign media worldwide. However, behind this acquittal is his 91-year-old sister, who has spent half her life fighting for her younger brother. She has taken on everything from imprisonment and trials to media responses, even enduring being called the "murderer’s sister," because Iwao Hakamada is unable to manage daily life due to his long incarceration.

Since all media focused on Iwao Hakamada, this week we share the story of his supporter, Hideko Hakama, who has fought for her brother for half a century.

Iwao Hakamada (left) and his older sister Hideko. (Photo by NHK)

First, Iwao Hakamada was originally a former professional boxer, but in 1966 he was accused and prosecuted as the culprit in the so-called "Shimada Incident," in which four members of the executive family of a miso factory in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, were murdered and the factory was set on fire. Since he worked at the company and was a former professional boxer without an alibi, he became a suspect. The police claimed that five pieces of clothing stained with Hakamada’s blood were found near the scene, identifying him as the perpetrator.

However, during the trial, Iwao Hakamada insisted he was innocent and claimed that his confession was false, made under coercive interrogation and police violence. Despite this, his claims were not accepted, and in September 1968, he was sentenced to death by the district court. In December 1980, the Supreme Court finalized the sentence, and he was imprisoned for 48 years. He was listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest-serving death row inmate, not only in Japan but worldwide.

The appearance of Mr. Iwao during his time as a professional boxer. (Photo by NHK)

Afterward, Hakamada reportedly suffered from delusional disorder due to the fear of execution and imprisonment. He exhibited behaviors such as washing each grain of rice with milk before eating. It was his sister Hideko who decided to take on his retrial.

Hideko, the older sister, had cared for her youngest brother Iwao since childhood. When he was bullied at school, she fought on his behalf, and when he competed as a boxer, she would rush from work to cheer him on at the ring. Despite being such a brother, after he was falsely accused and imprisoned, a completely different world unfolded. Locally, people whispered "murderer’s sister" even when she just walked down the street, and acquaintances who knew her before the incident cut off contact.

As Iwao’s mental health continued to deteriorate, he refused visits, saying "I have no sister" and "Visit me in heaven," and there was a period of over ten years when he rejected visits. Nevertheless, Hideko traveled three hours one way every month to visit her brother at the detention center in Tokyo.

In 2008, she decided to file a retrial petition, acting as his representative despite being three years older. In March 2014, following the decision to commence the retrial, Iwao was released after 47 years and 7 months of imprisonment.

Current appearance of Mr. Iwao. (Photo by NHK)

However, his status as a "death row inmate" had not disappeared. Over the next ten years, a total of 15 retrial hearings were held, and finally, on the 26th, he was acquitted. The court judged that there had been manipulation in the previous trials. First, the confession was obtained through violence and coercion, and the five pieces of clothing stained with Hakamada’s blood were discovered a year after his arrest. The confession documents were fabricated by the investigative authorities, and the blood-stained clothing, which was considered decisive evidence for conviction, was unrelated. Since the clothing was found a year after the incident, the blood would have changed color, but photos from that time show the color was completely different, suggesting someone deliberately planted it. Therefore, the possibility of fabrication by the investigative authorities was proven.

The defense team stated, "The reason Iwao Hakamada lived as a death row inmate for 58 years and endured absurd days was because of the investigative authorities," and insisted, "The corruption of the investigative authorities must be fully acknowledged." They also demanded the prosecution "immediately apologize to Iwao Hakamada."

During the retrial process, Iwao was unable to communicate and could not attend the hearings, but his sister Hideko attended all 15 retrial hearings. At the final hearing, she said, "Iwao was imprisoned for 47 years and 7 months. Although he was released 10 years ago, he is still in a delusional world due to the aftereffects of detention. We thought he had recovered after release, but his mind remains unhealed."

She added, "We have fought for 58 years. I am 91 years old, and my younger brother is 88. We believe there is little time left in our lives, but I ask that my brother Iwao be allowed to live with dignity," drawing significant attention.

Older sister Hideko appearing in court. (Photo by NHK)

On the day the 91-year-old sister proved the innocence of her 88-year-old brother, Hideko shed tears endlessly at the press conference. The portrait of a lawyer who had worked on the case for over 30 years and passed away from illness was also displayed at the conference. It was truly a long and arduous journey.

Regarding when she would tell Iwao about the acquittal, Hideko said, "If he is awake tonight, I will tell him today. Depending on his complexion, I will tell him today or tomorrow." By now, Iwao has probably heard the news of his acquittal.

In fact, this case caused various reactions in Japan. This is because Japan still maintains the death penalty. However, it became an example highlighting the question of what would have happened if an innocent person had been executed by public authority. There is widespread sympathy for Iwao Hakamada, whose precious years of life were taken away. We sincerely hope that Hideko and Iwao’s remaining days will be peaceful.