Iwao Hakamata to Initiate Legal Action Against Government in August

In a significant development, the legal team representing Iwao Hakamata, who was acquitted in a retrial of a 1966 murder case in Shizuoka Prefecture, is preparing to file a lawsuit against both the central and prefectural governments. This legal action is scheduled for August 18, coinciding with the anniversary of Hakamata's arrest in 1966.

Recently, the Shizuoka District Court awarded Hakamata approximately ¥217 million (around $1.44 million) under the criminal compensation law, recognizing the unjust detention he endured for over 47 years. However, Hakamata's defense attorney, Hideyo Ogawa, expressed that this compensation is insufficient to address the extensive harm caused by the wrongful imprisonment of the former boxer.

Ogawa stated that the forthcoming lawsuit aims not only to seek additional damages but also to elucidate the reasons behind the false charges that led to Hakamata's conviction. Hakamata was initially arrested by the Shizuoka prefectural police under suspicions of robbery and the murder of a family of four. After being convicted, he faced a finalized death sentence in 1980. It wasn't until 2014 that Hakamata was granted a retrial, which ultimately led to his release by the district court.

By the time of his release, Hakamata had already spent 47 years and seven months in detention, making his case one of the longest wrongful imprisonments in Japan's history. His acquittal came in September of last year, and the Shizuoka District Public Prosecutors Office subsequently decided not to appeal the ruling, paving the way for Hakamata's full exoneration.

The upcoming lawsuit reflects a broader concern regarding wrongful convictions and the need for accountability within the judicial system. Hakamata's case has drawn attention to the challenges faced by individuals wrongfully convicted and the inadequacies within legal frameworks that allow for such miscarriages of justice.