Justice for Iwao Hakamada: Historic payout for wrongful conviction
Iwao Hakamada spent nearly 50 years on death row in a Japanese prison. The man will receive a record compensation of 217 million yen (approximately £1.1 million). This is the highest amount in Japanese history for a wrongful conviction.
- Iwao Hakamada spent 46 years on death row after being convicted of a quadruple murder he was alleged to have committed in 1966. He was acquitted in September 2024.
- The court in Shizuoka awarded him 217 million yen in compensation, which is the highest amount in Japanese history for wrongful imprisonment.
- Hakamada's lawyers are planning further legal action against the Shizuoka Prefecture authorities and the central government to hold them accountable.
Record compensation for wrongful imprisonment
The court in Shizuoka ordered the payment of over 217 million yen (approximately £1.1 million) from the government compensation system to Iwao Hakamada, who spent 46 years on death row.
The man was convicted in 1986 for a quadruple murder he was alleged to have committed in 1966, including the killing of a soy sauce factory manager. In 2014, new evidence emerged that raised doubts about the validity of the verdict, which led to his release and a retrial.
In the rationale for its decision, the court emphasized that investigative authorities had fabricated evidence, which was the basis for the compensation determination. The presiding judge noted that the time Hakamada spent on death row caused him "extremely severe" psychological and physical pain, resulting in mental disabilities that led to speech and communication disorders.
Hakamada's lawyers plan to sue authorities
According to Kyodo news agency, Hakamada's lawyers plan to sue the Shizuoka Prefecture authorities and the central government to hold them accountable for the wrongful conviction. "Although we managed to somewhat compensate him for the hardships he endured, I think the state made a mistake that cannot be atoned for even with 200 million yen," said Hideyo Ogawa, one of Hakamada's lawyers.
Hakamada, now 89 years old, has been recognized as the longest-serving death row inmate in the world. His case has become a symbol of the fight for justice in Japan.
