WRONGFUL ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS IN JAPAN:
A DATA BASE
A chart prepared by the
Japan Innocence and Death Penalty Information Center
日本冤罪・死刑情報センター
The following data base contains over 200 cases which are alleged, or have been proven, to be miscarriages of justice. They are arranged in alphabetical order. Please feel free to send corrections and additions. (Note: "enzai" means wrongful conviction in the Japanese language.)
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Anzai
Chiba
2009/Nov
安西喜久夫
Anzai Kikuo
b. 1951
Smuggling Stimulants from Malaysia.
Summary
Prosecutors demanded 12 Years imprisonment and a 6 million yen (75,000ドル) fine from a company president in possession of a metal box containing drugs which was to be given to a third party as a souvenir.
NOTE: This was the first verdict of not guilty under the new mixed jury system instituted in 2009. The high court reversed the decision, and the Supreme Court overruled and declared the defendant not guilty.
Court Chronology
District Court2010/June/23Not Guilty
High Court2011/Mar/30 Guilty
Supreme Court2012 Not Guilty
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Artificial Leg Rape Case.
Iizuka city, Fukuoka pref.
2008/Jan
2008/Feb
Kitashiro Takayuki
北代貴之
Rape
~~~~~
No
Summary
The defendant was charged with raping a 14 year old girl. The prosecution asked for a term of 3 years and 6 months. The high court ruled that defendant's false leg made it impossible for the event to have taken place in an automobile. Note: The second finding of guilty by a district court in a remanded case is very rare.
Court Chronology
District Court: Guilty
High Court: 2010/JulyDefense's appeal is sustained. Case is remanded.
District Court: 2012/Jan Guilty
High Court: 2012年10月31日 Not Guilty.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Ashibetsu
Hokkaido
1952年07月29日
Ijiri Masao
Endangering train
traffic/possession of explosives.
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1956年07月16日 Guilty Sentenced to prison
High Court1963年12月20日Not Guilty
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Ashikaga 足利
Tochigi
1990/May
1991/Dec 2
Sugaya Toshikazu
born 1947
Exonerated
Time Incarcerated:
17.5 years
Murder & rape
of a four year old girl
Summary
In May of 1990, a deceased four year old girl's body was found along the bank of a river. She had been sexually molested. 19 months later, faced with a lingering murder/molestation cold case, police extract a confession from the day care center's bus driver. Though the DNA evidence from the victim's underwear excluded Sugaya, the court weighed the confession and ordered a sentence of life imprisonment.
Court Chronology
District Court1993年07月07日Life ImprisonmentUtsunomiya D.C.
High Court 1997"Tokyo
Supreme Court 2000年07月17日Confirmed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later Actions:
2002/Dec/20 Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) recognizes the case as a miscarriage of justice and offers official support.
2006年08月21日 Civil suit against the state's forensic witness opens.
2008年02月13日 Retrial Request Rejected (Utsunomiya DC).
2009/June/23DNA evidence indicates Sugaya is not culprit-released from prison.
2010年03月26日 Exonerated
2011/JanuaryState pays 80,000,000 yen (750,00ドル) for time wrongfully served.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Yamamoto is suspected of telling the client, who was indicted as a member of a billing-fraud ring, "Keep silent. Otherwise your family and friends may be in trouble."
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tokyo
Yasuda Yoshihiro
b. 1947
Obstructing the return of financial assets to the government
Summary
Yasuda, outspoken human rights attorney andanti-death penalty advocate, was leading the legal team defending the Aum Shinrikyo religous cult. . He was arrested for obstructing the transfer of funds from a failed real estate company to the state. His incarceration for 300 days has been severely criticized aspolitical vindictiveness.
Court Chronology
District Court2003年12月25日Not Guilty
High Court2008年04月23日Guilty Fined 500,000 yen (5000ドル)
Supreme Court2011年12月6日GuiltyHigh Court Decision is confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Baker
Narita Airport
April 2002
"
Nicholas Baker (aged 32)
British National
Importation and possession of controlled substances
Summary
Caught with 41,120 tablets of ecstasy and 990 grams of cocaine at Narita airport using a suitcase fitted with a false bottom, Baker swears he was duped by a companion who accompanied him to Japan. The companion was arrested in Belgium in May 2002 for a similar ruse, and has since died. Baker was placed in solitary confinement for10 months for refusing to confess. Note: The judge overseeing the case had not issued a decision of not guilty in ten years.
Court Chronology
District Court2003年06月12日14 years
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Baker was returned to England to serve out the remainder of his sentence.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Beamon
1994
Beamon Terry
American National
Murder
Summary
American Karate Instructor Terry Beamon and his wife Jewel Curtis, arrested in 2000, were charged with beating their 4 year old son to death in 1994.
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court Not Guilty April 3, 2008.
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Benin Smuggling Case
Sawyer, Robert Joffrey
aged 54
Summary
Prosecutors demanded a sentence of 13 years and 7 million yen.
Court Chronology
District Court 2011/Jun/16Not Guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
British Woman
Narita Airport
November 2008
"
British National (F)
Smuggling
Summary
A 31 year old British Woman was charged with smuggling 1.4 kilograms of heroin from Malaysia
Court Chronology
District Court2010/FebruaryGuilty8 years and 4 million yen ( 50,000ドル fine.)
High Court2010年12月16日Not Guilty (Confirmed)
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Chan Kumatani Case
Chan Ie Jun
Murder of a Korean woman.
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Chiba city Nurses Case.
Chiba city, Chiba pref.
2012
Sugawara Takumi
菅原巧
Tanaka Kiyoi
田中清
Murder
~~~~~~
No.
Summary
Two older male nurses were accused of murdering a patient at a psychiatric hospital.
Court Chronology
District CourtTanaka: Not Guilty
Sugawara:
High CourtTanaka: Not Guilty.
Sugawara: dismissal of charges as statute of limitations exceeded.
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Chiba University
Salmonella Poisoning
(千葉大学チフス菌事件)
1966年04月07日
Suzuki Michiru 充
age 42
Inadvertent poisonings with the Salmonella bacteria
Summary
A doctor at Chiba University hospital was charged with infecting food and beverages with Salmonella bacteria. He confessed.
Chifusu is a Japanese rendering of typhi. Salmonella is the bacteria responsible for typhoid.
Court Chronology
District Court1973年04月20日 Not guilty Chiba DC
High Court1976年04月30日 Guilty 6 years
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
(No Case name)
Osaka
2008/Feb/5 death of baby
2012/Nov/1Convicted ( 4.5 years afterward)
Murder of 5 month old infant.
~~~~~
Yes
Summary
Daido was convicted of killing his 5 month old son while his wife was away.
Court Chronology
District CourtOsaka DC 2012Guilty Sentenced to 15 years.
High CourtOsaka HC 2016/Apr/30 Sentenced overturned. Exonerated.
Supreme CourtNone.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(Family /First)
F = female
Charges
~~~~
Dutchman Drug Smuggling Case
Tokyo
2020 May
2020 May
van Minderhout / RonalduTsu
Carrying 1 kg of stimulant drugs into Japan.
Summary
After arriving at Haneda airport,a packet of drugs was found in the 45 year old's suitcase. He claims he brought it at an acquiantance's behest, and did not know the contents. The district court sentenced him to 7 years and and fine of3 million yen (27,000ドル). The high court overturned the case.
Court Chronology
2021
District Court
7 years imprisonment and 3 milion yen (27,000ドル) fine.
2021年04月26日
High Court
Not Guilty
Supreme Court
Retrials
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Endo
Niigata
1975
Endo Yuichi
Professional Negligence
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1982年09月03日6 months imprisonment suspended for two years
High CourtAffirmed
Supreme Court 1989年04月21日 Not guilty.
Later Actions
Endo brought suit seeking state redress for wrongful arrest. All three courts rejected his claim.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hokkaido
2000年03月17日
Released 2018年08月12日!
Okoshi MinakoF
(age 29 when arrested)
大越美奈子
Murder
~~~~~~
No.
Summary
The charred body of a24 year old woman was found along a country road. Police claimed to find the victim's locker key in the Okoshi's car's glove compartment. One week after undergoing six days of exhaustive and abusive voluntary questioning , the traumatized Okoshi checks into a hospital for psychological treatment. While hospitatlized, she files suit against the police. One day after leaving the hospital, she is vengefully arrested and charged with murder.
Court Chronology
District Court2003年03月26日Sapporo 16 years of labor.
High Court2005年09月29日Sapporo Affirmed.
Supreme Court2006年09月27日Confirmed.
RETRIALS
Retrial #1
District Court 2012年10月05日 Retrial Filed
District Court 2014年04月21日 Retrial Rejected.
High Court2015年07月17日 Special Protest is Rejected
Supreme Court 2016年06月13日Confirmed
Retrial #2
District Court 2017年01月10日Second Appeal is filed.
2017年10月18日The JFBA forms a task force in support of the case.
District Court 2018年03月20日 Second Appeal is rejected.
2018年08月12日Ohkoshi is released after serving out her sentence.
Supreme Court2021年04月12日Confirmed
Civil Suits
2007年01月23日Tokyo DC fines Publisher Shichosha2.2 million yen (22,000ドル) andsuspendspublication of a book accusing defendant Okoshi of pyromania.
2007年10月18日Tokyo HC Overturns suspension and reduces fine to 1.1 million yen. SC confirms this decision on 2009年03月03日.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Enaimura
(Enai Village)
榎井村
1946年08月21日
1946年08月28日
Kagawa
Yoshida Osamu
吉田
+ One Accomplice
Murder, home invasion.
Summary
Two men entered a home and shot the resident. Yoshida, who had been previously been charged with home invasion and possession of a firearm, was arrested.
Court Chronology
District Court1947年12月08日 Life Imprisonment (prosecution demanded death).
Accomplice sentenced to six years.
High Court 1948年11月09日Sentenced reduced to 15 years.
Supreme Court 1949年04月28日Confirmed
Confirmed
Later Actions
1955Yoshida released in an amnesty as a result of the San Francisco Peace Treaty.
1977年03月18日Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) recognizes the case as a miscarriage of justice and offers official support.
1990年03月19日Takamatsu HC grants retrial.
1994年03月22日Defendant declared not guilty in retrial.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Fujisawa Arson
Murder Case.
Fujisawa city, Kanagawa pref.
1993年12月14日
2001/Feb7 years after suspected crime.
Summary
Sasaki was the prime suspect in th arson/murder death of his girlfriend. 5 years after the incident, investigations ended. The victims family brought a civil suit against the Sasaki, which recognized him as murderer and awarded damages. The decision lead to arrest and trial.
Court Chronology
Civil Proceedings
1998/JuneInvestigation officially ended due to lack of evidence.
2000 July. Victims parents file civil suit against the defendant.
2001/Feb. Victims family awarded 97,000,000 yen (850,000ドル)
Criminal Proceedings
District Court 2003年06月02日 Not Guilty. Prosecution demanded life imprisonment.
High Court2004年09月07日Guilty 15 years.
Supreme Court 2005年05月20日 Confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Defendant was suspected of setting fire to collect 50,000,000 yen (500,000ドル) in insurance.
Court Chronology
District Court 2019年07月12日Not guilty. (Prosecution demanded 5 years.)
High Court
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Fujimoto
1952年07月07日
Fujimoto Masuo
Murder
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1953年08月29日 Death
High Court 1954年12月14日 Death
Supreme Court1957年08月23日 Confirmed.
Later Actions
1962年09月13日 3rd request for retrial denied (Kumamoto D. C.)
1962年09月14日Executed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
布川
Ibaragi
1967年08月30日
SAKURAI Shoji (20)
Arrested 1967年10月10日
SUGIYAMA Takao(20)
Arrested 1967年10月16日
Exonerated: 2011
Time Served: 29 years
Murder Robbery
Summary
A 62 year old woman was found strangled in her home in the village of Fukawa located in Tonegawa-cho, Ibaragi-prefecture. After investigating well over a hundred people, police eliminated all but some ten or more from a list of suspects. Sakurai, aged 20 at the time, was under arrest for theft of a belt and a single pair of trousers. He was interrogated from morning till night, and after five days, confessed to the murder with with Sugiyama as accomplice.
Court Chronology
District Court1970年10月06日 Life Imprisonment
High Court 1973年12月20日 Life Imprisonment
Supreme Court1978/07/03 Confirmed
Later Actions
1983年12月23日 Request for retrial requested
1996 Defendants are paroled
2005年09月21日 Retrials Granted
2007年12月15日 Supreme Court affirms retrial request.
2011/May/25Exonerated!
2015Sugiyama passes away.
2019/May 27Tokyo D.CSakurai awarded 690,000ドル (76 million yen) in state redress civil suit.
2021/Aug/27 Tokyo H.C. affirms civil suit with minor changes.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Fukui Female Middle School Killing
福井女子中学生殺人事件
Fukui
1986年03月19日
1987年03月29日 (One year later)
Maekawa Shoji
Murder
(+other charges)
Summary
On March 19, 1986, a female middle school student was brutally stabbed and strangled in the kitchen of her home after a graduation ceremony. One year later, police arrested Shoji Maekawa on drug charges and later charged him with the murder. As there was only circumstantial evidence,-mostly testimony of a yakuza in detention, Maekawa was declared innocent. The prosecution appealed and he was sentenced to 7 years. In 2011, the Nagoya High Court granted a retrial, a very rare occurance. The prosecution again appealed and some 15 months later, a separate branch of the Nagoya High Court revoked the retrial. A further appeal has been lodged with the Supreme Court.
This case is one of 12 endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
District Court1990年09月26日Not Guilty.
High Court1995年02月09日 Not Guilty decision is overturned. Sentenced to 7 years.
Supreme Court 1997/11/12Appeal Rejected. Sentence Confirmed
Later Actions
2003年03月05日Maekawa finishes sentence and is released.
2004年03月19日JFBA endorses case as a miscarriage of justice, begins official support.
First Appeal for Retrial:
High Court: 2011年11月30日 Retrial Granted. (Nagoya High Court)
High Court2013年03月06日 Retrial Revoked (Nagoya High Court)
Supreme Court2013年03月11日 Special Objection filed.
Supreme Court2014年12月10日 Special Objection is rejected.
Current Status: not being ajudicated.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
After two clothes merchants were shot in downtown Fukuoka, seven men were arrested. Five were sentenced to various terms, Nishi and Ishii were sentenced to death. Ishi, a former soldier, admitted the shooting as self defense. Nishi was nowhere near the scene.
Court Chronology
District CourtDeath
High Court Death
Supreme Court
Later Actions
1975/06Ishii's sentence is commuted to life imprisonment.
Nishi is executed.
1989 Ishii is paroled.
2005 May.30 years after Nishi's execution, appeal is filed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Fukuoka Yakuza Case 2008
Fukuoka
2008/July
Takada Shinichi b. 1963
Nakahara Yoshio b. 1965
Murder, Confinement, Battery
Summary
In July of 2008, the body of Ito Takanori, aged 42, was found in a wooded area in Fukuoka. In a separate case, a defendant Nakahara Kazufumi, sentenced to 28 years, implicated the above two defendants as masterminds. (Kazufumi was the adopted son of Yoshio.) The court found the above defendants guilty of lesser crimes, (Tanaka-confinement and battery 5.5 years; Nakahara-confinement only 4 years), but tossed the charge of murder and the prosecution's demand for 30 years stating that Kazufumi's confession to police was unreliable.
Court Chronology
District Court (Fukuoka) 2011年06月29日 Murder Not Guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Fukuoka Bicycle Accident
2001
Obscenity
Summary
After colliding and falling off her bicycle, a high school girl claimed obscenity (molestation ) against a man in the accident.
Court Chronology
District CourtGuilty
High CourtGuilty
Supreme CourtCurrently under review.
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
In July of 2008, the body of Ito Takanori, aged 42, was found in a wooded area in Fukuoka. In a separate case, a defendant Nakahara Kazufumi, sentenced to 28 years, implicated the above two defendants as masterminds. (Kazufumi was the adopted son of Yoshio.) The court found the above defendants guilty of lesser crimes, (Tanaka-confinement and battery: 5.5 years; Nakahara-confinement: 4 years), but tossed the charge of murder and the prosecution's demand for 30 years stating that Kazufumi's confession to police was unreliable.
Court Chronology
District Court 2011/Jun/28Confinement and Battery: GuiltyMurder: Not Guilty.
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Futamata
二俣
50/01/07
SUDOU Masao
須藤満雄
Age 18 at time of the crime.
Murder
Robbery
Summary
After a family of four, including two young children, was murdered, police arrested 18 year old Sudou Masao. He confessed after being tortured but withdrew the confession at the trial.This is one of four egregious wrongful arrest cases which occurred in Shizuoka. See also Sachiura, Shimada, and Hakamada cases.
Court Chronology
District Court 1950年12月27日Death
High Court 1951年09月29日Death
Supreme Court 1953年11月27日Remanded to district court.
Later Actions
1956年9月20日 Shizuoka District Court Not Guilty
1957年12月26日 Tokyo High Court.Prosecution's appeal is rejected. Innocence is confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Geihinkan/YokotaSaiban
迎賓館・横田裁判
aka: 迎賓館ロケット弾事件
(aka: Bakutori 4 爆取人)
86/04/15
86/05/04
Tokyo
Taketoshi Suga
Hirofumi Sogame
Hiroshi Itagaki*
~~~~~~~
Fukushima Masao
(arrested in 1993)
Manufacture and firing of explosives
Summary
The three were arrested for manufacturing and launching mortar rounds at Yokota Air Base and the Tokyo State Guest House during a meeting of leaders of developed nations. Though a finding of guilty would result in a sentence of 8 years, the three were incarcerated from Nov 1987 until being freed onbail in December 2002, in excess of 15 years.
Court Chronology
District Court 2004年03月26日 TokyoNot Guilty. Prosecution appeals.
High Court 2006年01月16日 Trial opens and closes the same day.
2006年05月19日 Judge criticizes lower court decision, and remands the case.
Special objection is lodged with the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court2007年10月18日 SC upholds HC decision.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remand Case
District Court2010年06月02日 Guilty
Sentences:
Suga = 10 years.
Sogame, Itagaki = 8 years.
Fukushima sentenced to 12 years (in separate trial.)
High Court 2013年06月27日Appeal is rejected.
Supreme Court2016年03月14日 SC upholds DC decision.
Currently:
All are currently imprisoned in separate facilities.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
A 15 year old girl, as an excuse to meet a male acquaintance, informs her mother that she will be home late due to a train accident. When the mother discovers this is a hoax, the girl then says that she was raped. The next day, a report is filed with police, who ignore the claim. Over the next 3 months, ten youths are arrested, interrogated and confess. One year into the trial, the victim asserts that the incident occured one week earlier than stated.
Court Chronology
Family Court: Four defendents are sent to reformatory, two others to miscellaneous
treatments.
District Court 05/OctGuilty four boys are being tried in district court.
High Court06/12/13 Appeals case begins. (Tokyo HC)
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Gotsu
江津
1962年10月08日
1962年11月08日
Ushiro
Murder, abandoning the corpse
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court1966年02月01日 Life Imprisonment
High Court1971年01月28日 Appeal is rejected.
Supreme Court 1973年09月25日 Confirmed.
Later Actions
1976年02月14日Request for Retrial filed.
1987年02月03日
1987年02月05日
1991年08月01日Ushiro dies.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
(AKA:
Tokyo OL Murder Case)
OL = Office Lady
Tokyo
1997年03月19日
Govinda Prasad Mainali
Nepali citizen
Exonerated! Time Served: 12.5 years.
Murder, Robbery
Summary
Nepali Govinda was arrested for the strangulation of a female executive of the Tokyo Power and Electic Company, a high profile case. Govinda admitted to having sex with the woman but denies the murder. The short span of eight months between the District Court and High Court decisions was extremely abnormal for a Japanese court.
Court Chronology
District Court2000年04月14日 Not Guilty
Special Order 2000年06月27日Supreme Court rules that Govinda should remain incarcerated as he might flee.
High Court 2000年12月22日 Guilty: Life Imprisonment
Supreme Court2003/10/20 Sentenceis confirmed.
Later Actions
2005年03月24日:Retrial filed in Tokyo HC.
2006年10月17日 Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) recognizes the case as a miscarriage of justice and offers official support.
2011 September:An insider reveals that hidden DNA evidence exists.
2012
June 7:Retrial is granted. Govinda is paroled.
June 15:Govinda is deported.
Oct 29: Prosecution requests decision of not guilty.
Nov 7: Decision: Not guilty.
Remuneration:
2013Awarded ¥68 million（600,000ドル) for 15 years wrongful imprisonment =12,500 yen for each day.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
The charge was setting fire to a building where his estranged wife and child were taking shelter with the wife's colleage. The court found no evidence linking the defendant to the case. Prosecution demanded 8 years.
Court Chronology
District Court2019/Jan/20Not guilty.
High Court
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court Osaka 2008年11月28日Not Guilty.
High Court Osaka 2011/Jun/17Haga: Guilty 6 Years.
Watanabe2 Years
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
袴田
1966年06月30日
Shizuoka
Shimizu City
Arrested 66/08/18
Hakamada Iwao
b. 1936 (current age 83)
(Currently paroled from death row.)
Murder x 4
Arson, Robbery
~~~~
Yes
Summary
Charged with the stabbing murder of a family of four and arson. Insists on innocence. Cause celebre among wrongful arrests in Japan. Former ranked professional boxer. Strongly supported by many groups, and the subject of manypublications and documentaries. Listed in the Guiness Book of World Records.
This case is one of 12 endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
District Court1968年09月11日 Death Shizuoka District Court
High Court 1976年05月18日 DeathTokyo High Court
Supreme Court 1980/11/29Confirmed
Later Actions
First Appeal for Retrial:
1981年04月20日Request for Retrial is submitted
1981年11月13日 JFBA perceives a miscarriage of justice and launches an investigative committee.
1994年08月09日 Request for Retrial is rejected
1994年08月12日 Protest lodged with High Court.
2004年08月26日 Protest is rejected.
2004年08月27日 Protest lodged with Supreme Court
2005年12月07日 Petition for Pardon to the Ministry of Justice.
2008年03月24日 Supreme Court rejects protest. Retrial denial is confirmed.
Second Appeal for Retrial:
2008年04月25日 Second retrial appeal is filed (Shizuoka District Court).
2014年03月27日 Shizuoka District Court grants retrial and a stay of execution. Hakamada is
paroled.
2014年03月31日Prosecution lodges protest with Tokyo High Court.
2018年06月11日 Tokyo High Court overturns district court decision to open retrial.
2018年06月18日 Defense files special protest with Supreme Court.
Currently being adjudicated.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hanamaki
花巻事件
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Haneda
羽田
(羽田女高生殺人事件)
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
晴山
Hokkaido, Tsukigata
1972/74
Arrested in 1974
Hiromoto Haruyama (32)
Murder Rape x2
~~~~~~~
Yes
Summary
Haruyama was arrested in 1974 for assaulting and injuring a 40-year-old woman in the Hokkaido town of Naie, Hokkaido Prefecture in May that year. He later confessed to raping and strangling a 19-year-old cooking school student in the town of Tsukigata, Hokkaido Prefecture, in May 1972 and a 19-year-old department-store worker in Sunagawa in August the same year. But during his first trial in the Sapporo District Court, Haruyama withdrew the confessions and denied having committed the crimes.
Court Chronology
District CourtDeath
High Court Death
Supreme Court Death
Later Actions
1994/July/ Request for retrial filed
2003/Jan/Request for retrial rejected.
10 new pieces of evidence submitted by Haruyama's lawyers.
2004年06月04日Dies of illness.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hasaki
波崎
1963年08月26日
Tomiyama
Arrested 63/10/23
Murder
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court1966年12月24日 Death
High Court1973年07月06日 Death
Supreme Court 1976/04/01Death sentenced confirmed
Later Actions
1980 Retrial Requested
1984 Retrial Request is Rejected. Protest lodged.
1985 Protest Rejected
1987 Second Retrial Requested
2000 Second Retrial Request is rejected. Protest lodged.
2003 Defendant dies in incarceration, aged 86.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Charged with “internet-based sales of unlicensed drug”
Court Chronology
District Court 2004 guilty
High Court2005 Appeal Rejected.
Supreme Court 2006 Appeal Rejected
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kaneko Fumiko 金子文子
Boku( Park ) Yeol 朴烈
Arrest: 1924年02月14日
Same as case name.
Violation of the Bomb and Explosion Law-attempting to kill the emperor.
Summary
After the great Kanto Earthquake of September 1, 1923, many Korean residents were arrested and massacred. Park was a philisophical anarchist, and Kaneko was his lover.
Court Chronology
District Court 1926年03月25日 Death
1926年04月05日Commutation: Sentences reduced to life imprisonment.
1926年07月22日Kaneko hangs herself in prison.
Later Actions
1945/Oct/27Park released from prison. (Served 19 years)
1946~1949: Served as head of a Korean Residents Union.
Later: deported to North Korea.
For more information on the life of Kaneko, please see her remarkable writings in"Women on the Way to the Gallows" translated my Hane Miko and published by
University of California Press . ISBN 9780520084216
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumiko_Kaneko
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Katagami Case
Katagami city (潟上市 )
Akita Pref
2007/Dec/14
2016/Feb/28
(Note:8 years later)
(F) Hayamizu Haru
(b. 1952)
Age 55 at time of the arrest.
~~~~~~
Yes
Murder
~~~~
No
Summary
Hayamizu was charged with killing another woman out of spite due to a love quarrel. The DNA evidence was submitted 5 years after the crime, and she was not arrested until 8 years had passed.
Court Chronology
District Court2017年12月12日 Guilty Sentence: 17 years.
High Court2018/12Confirmed
Supreme CourtRuling pending
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kitagata
or
Saga Multiple Female Murder Case .
Hoppo Town, Saga Pref.
1987~1989
2002/June(Six hours before the statute of limitations expired.)
Matsue Teruhiko
b. 1963
Murder x 3
~~~~
Yes, in 1989.67 page confession
Japanese: http://yabusaka.moo.jp/sagajosei.htm
Summary
In 1989, police discovered the bodies of three women, ages 37~50, who were murdered between 1987~89. Matsue, already in prison for a narcotics charge, was subjected to prolonged interrogation and signed a confession. He was not arrested until 2002, six hours before the statute of limitationsexpired.
Court Chronology
District Court2005 May 10Not Guilty
Note: This is only the second case is postwar history when a demand for death was adjudicated 'not guilty.'
High Court: 2007年03月09日.Prosecution's appeal is denied.
Not guilty verdict is confirmed.
Later Actions
Saga district court awards Matsue 5,800,000 yen (aproximately 55,000ドル) for 464 days confinement- 1 day x 12,500 yen (110ドル).
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(Family /First)
F = female
Charges
~~~~
平野母子殺害放火事件
Hirano Mother-Daughter Murder Case
Osaka
April 14, 2002
July 13, 2002
(Note: 7 months later)
MORI Takemitsu
森健充実
Murder x2, Arson
( More )
Summary
On April 14, 2002, 28 year old Mayumi Mori and her 1 year old son were found dead.Seven months later, Takemitsu Mori, an Osaka prison guard, and step-father in law of the decedents, was arrested and charged with murder. The case was based entirely on circumstantial evidence. The police also admitted to losing 71 of 72 cigarette butts initially included in the investigation.
Court Chronology
District Court
2005/08
Life Imprisonment.
High Court
2006/12
Death
Supreme Court
2010年04月27日
Decision is overturned
District Court
2012年03月15日
Not Guilty
High Court
2017年03月02日
Not Guilty
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Note Information Needed
The defendant was originally declared not guilty for a procedural reason-not being able to appoint a defense attorney. The high court reversed.
Court Chronology
Tokyo District Court2009/09 Not Guilty
Tokyo High Court2010年06月07日Earlier verdict is scrapped, sentence of two years and ten months is instituted.
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hoshino Obscenity
1988年12月08日
Hoshino (Masami?)
Obscenity
~~~~
?
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court1990年03月27日 7 months at labor
High Court1991年03月26日Not Guilty
Supreme Court1994/12/22Not Guilty decision is overturned.
Case is remanded to the High Court.
Later Actions
1996年05月16日Guilty Nagoya High Court
1999年03月23日 Confirmed. Supreme Court.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tokyo
~~~~~
1971年11月14日
1975/ August
(Nearly 4 years later)
HoshinoFumiaki
星野文昭
Passed Away 2019年05月31日
Charge: Murder
~~~~
Has support association which publishes a monthly newspaper: "Hoshino Shinbun"
Support Association's HP:
http://fhoshino.u.cnet-ta.ne.jp
Summary
During a protest of the Okinawa Sovereignity Return Treaty, a riot policeman was hit by a fire bomb and died. Hoshino, a leader of the demonstration, was charged with slugging the officer and ordering the throwing of the fire bomb. The arrest did not occur for nearly 4 years. Six other demonstrators, arrested as collaboraters, implicated Hoshino in statements to the police. All six would later later retract these in court.
Court Chronology
District Court1979年08月21日 Sentenced to 20 years
High Court1983年07月13日Life in Prison
Supreme Court 1987/07/17Confirmed.
Later Actions
1996年04月17日Files for Retrial to Tokyo High Court
2000年02月22日Retrial is rejected
2009年11月27日Files Second Petition for retrial.
2019年05月31日Hoshino passes away.
2019/June Wife files civil suit seeking redress for medical negligence.
Note: A sentence of life imprisonment permits bail after 18-20 years if the prisoner takes responsibility and writes an apology. Hoshino maintained his innocence and refused to apologize. He passed away after nearly 45 years of incarceration on May 31, 2019.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hyogo Self-defense Case
~~~~~
Amagasaki, Hyogo
2005/07/_ _
2 men aged 18 and 17 at the time of the crime.
Battery resulting in death.
Summary
Note Information Needed
The defendant, along with another two others aged 20 and 19, were charged with the beating death of a37 year old truck driver in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, in July 2005.
Court Chronology
District CourtNot Guilty
High Court2007年12月20日 Earlier verdict is scrapped, remanded to district court for a retrial.
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
東住吉
1995
Osaka
Tatsuhiro Boku(M 29)
Keiko Aoki (F 29)
Murder, Arson , Insurance Fraud
~~~~~~
Yes.
Summary
On July 22, 1995, a house fire killed the 11 year old daughter of the defendants. Because she was insured for15 million yen (125,000ドル), and since they were unmarriedand living together-- a Japanese and Korean in a common law marriage--the police surmised conspiracy, andviolently extracted confessions to arson, murder and insurance fraud.
Court Chronology
District Court1999年03月30日 Boku: Life Imprisonment
1999年05月18日 Aoki: Life Imprisonment
High Court2004年11月02日 Aoki: Life Imprisonment
2004年12月20日 Boku: Life Imprisonment
Supreme Court 2006年10月27日Boku Appeal is rejected
2006年12月11日 Aoki Appeal is rejected.
RETRIALS:
District Court2009年07月07日Retrials are filed.
District Court:2012年03月07日Retrials Granted. Sentences are stayed allowing defendants to leave prison.Prosecution appeals both decisions. Osaka High court overrules the stays. Both defendants are forced to spend 3.5 years more in prison.
2012年07月12日JFBA endorses case as a miscarriage of justice, begins official support.
High Court 2015年10月23日High Court affirms retrial and grants stays of sentences. Aoki and Boku are released from prison.
District Court: 2016年04月28日Boku's retrial begins. Prosecution declines further litigation.
2016年05月02日Aoki's retrial begins. Prosecution declines further litigation.
2016年08月10日Not Guilty. Defendants are exonerated.
Later Actions (Civil Suits)
1) Criminal Indemnity Law.
2017/ 03/31 Osaka District Court both defendants compensation of 91,900,000 yen (850,000ドル) according to the Criminal Indemnity Law.
The calculation ( 12,500 yen/day (110ドル) x 7352 days(Sept 1995~Oct 2015) = 91,900,000 yen (850,000ドル)
2017Aoki files state redress suit seeking damages (146,000,000 yen =1,300,000ドル) for wrongful prosecution, and a second suit against the Honda motor company whose defective van lead to her daughter's death.
NOTE: The following suits were brought by Aoki only.
2) Suit Against the Honda Motor Corporation.
2018年10月26日Osaka DCCivil suit against Honda is deemed to be outside the statute of limitations.
2020年10月16日Osaka HC confirms DC's decision, rejects appeal.
2021年06月26日SC affirms both decisions.
3) State Redress Suit:
2021年09月16日 Last hearing. Decision is expected in March 2022.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hikinoguchi
Kitakyushu City
2004年03月24日
Katagishi Mitsuko (F)
b. 1948
Murder Arson
~~~~~
Yes
Summary
After a fire destroyed the home of an alcoholic infirm man, the police arrested his sister upon noticing that she recently withdrew 2,000,000 yen from his savings account. The only evidence in this case is a witness with a lengthy history of crime and drug addiction who claims hearing a jailhouse confession.
Court Chronology
District Court 2008年03月05日 Not Guilty: Arson and Murder.
Guilty: withdrawing funds
High CourtProsecution abandons arson and murder charges.
Defendant appeals financial charges.
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Himeji Post Office Robbery
Himeji city, Hyogo pref.
2001年06月19日
2001年06月20日
Nigerian national
(age 25 at time of crime)
Armed robbery of a post office
~~~~~~~
No.
Summary
Two black men wearing ski masks robbed a post office with toy guns, absconded, and put the money and other evidence in the defendant's garage. After Julius was arrested, one of the robbers came forward, confessed, and implicated a separate Nigerian as the accomplice. Prosecutors pushed forward, prosecuted, and convicted Julius.
NOTE: This case has been endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
District Court2004年01月09日Guilty 6 years.
High Court2005年12月08日 Appeal is rejected.
Supreme Court2006年04月25日 Confirmed.
Later Actions
2009年01月17日 Transferred to immigration detention after serving out sentence.
Currently, on parole.
First Appeal for Retrial:
2012年03月02日 Retrial filed. Kobe District Court.
2013年04月19日JFBA endorses case as a miscarriage of justice, begins official support.
2014年03月28日 Retrial rejected. Kobe District Court.
2014年04月03日 Special Protest lodged. Osaka High Court.
2016年03月15日Osaka High Court overturns the district court's decision and remands the case.
2018/AprilRetrial request begins. Kobe District Court.
2020年06月15日Retrial request is rejected. Special Protest lodged with the Osaka High Court.
2021年06月30日Osaka HC reverses its earlier decision and rejects the protest.
2021/July Special Protest is lodged with the Supreme Court.
Civil Suit Filings
2018-State Redress Suit ( civil suit) filed. Kobe District Court
2019年06月16日 Civil suit is dismissed.(Note: criminal retrial and civil suits were dismissed within 24 hours of each other.)
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Islam Mohamed Himu
1) Falsifying a notary registration.
2) Illegal employment of two employees.
Summary
Though held for 43 days, no charges were filed in the first case, and he was fined in the second case. He was falsely vilified in the media for close relations with al-Qaida.
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
2006 The Tokyo District Court ordered Kyodo News on Thursday to pay 1.65 million yen in compensation
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
日野町事件
Shiga
1984年12月28日
1987年12月29日
Sakahara Hiromu
Died in prison Dec. 2012
(age 75)
Murder / Robbery
~~~~~
Yes.
Summary
Three years and one day after the robbery of a small bar and the murder of its elderly proprietress, police began questioning Sakahara, a former regular customer. Sakahara was mentally impaired and had never committed a crime. After three days of voluntary, yet abusive police questioning, a confession was extracted.
This case has been endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
District Court 1995年06月30日 Life Imprisonment
High Court1997年05月30日 Life Imprisonment
Supreme Court2000/09/27 Confirmed
Later Actions
First Appeal for Retrial:
2002年03月15日JFBA endorses case as a miscarriage of justice, begins official support.
2006年03月27日Appeal for retrial is denied. Otsu D.C
2011 Appeal for retrial is denied. Osaka H.C.
2011年03月18日Sakahara dies in prison (age 75).
2011年03月30日Osaka High Court decides to close the case.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Second Appeal for Retrial:
2012年03月30日 Sakahara's family files second appeal for retrial filed with Otsu D.C.
2018年07月11日2nd request for retrial is granted. Otsu District Court.
2018年07月17日Prosecution files immediate protest to the Osaka High Court.
Current status: under review.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hyogo: Kobe
6th Verdict of Not Guilty under the Mixed Jury system.
Hirashima Masahira
平島正成
aged 56
Theft and bodily injury. Prosecution requested 8 years.
Summary
Charged with theft and causing serious bodily injury-grabbing a woman's handbag and causing injury by dragging.
Court Chronology
District Court2011年05月24日 Not Guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hirosaki University
1949年08月26日
Aomori
那須隆
Nasu Takashi
Murder
Summary
The defendant was charged with murdering the wife of a university professor.
Court Chronology
District Court1951年01月12日 Not Guilty
High Court1952年05月31日 Guilty 15 years.
Supreme Court 1953/02/19 Appeal is rejected
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later Actions
1963 Paroled
1971 Real culprit comes forward.
1971 Japan Federation of Bar Associations establishes a support committee.
1974 Sendai High Court refuses retrial.
1976 Separate high court bench opens retrial
1977年02月15日Not Guilty Sendai High Court
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1981/04 (Aomori D.C).Plaintiff receives redress-wins partial victory.
1986/11 (Sendai H. C.)Redress award is overturned.
1990/07(Supreme Court)Appeal rejected. Redress denied.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hiroshima Port
Ferry Officer
~~~~
Hiroshima
1993年12月20日
二間高男
Murder, robbery
~~~~
Yes
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 97/7/30 Not guilty (Hiroshima)
High Court2001年04月24日 Not guilty(Hiroshima)
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
On March 02, 1976, a bomb killed two and injured many in the Hokkaido Prefectural Office. Police searchedthe house of Ohmori, a suspected Red Army member, and found chloric acid ingredients used for herbicides.Evidence in this case is extremely impoverished. Defendant insists he is innocent.
Court Chronology
District Court 1983年03月29日 Death (Sapporo)
High Court 1988年01月21日 Appeal Denied(Death)(Sapporo)
Supreme Court1994/07/15 Appeal Denied(Death Sentence Confirmed)
Later Actions
2002年07月30日 Files for retrial
2011年12月22日Retrial Rejected. Supreme Court.
2016年03月28日Second petition for retrial rejected.
On death row in the Sapporo Detention Center
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
also called the
Sendai Muscle Relaxant Case
Sendai city, Miyagi pref.
2000
2001/Jan/06
Mori Daisuke
守大助
Born 1971
Currently incarcerated at the Chiba prison
Murder x1
Attempted Murder x 4
~~~~
Yes. Retracted soon afterward.
Summary
Mori, a male nurse, is accused of killing an elderly patient (F age 89) and attempting to murder four others (F ages1, 11, and M ages 4 and 45) by administering an intravenous muscle relaxant. Despite finding the defendant's confession to "be guided by the interrogators . . .and that the motive remains unclear," the judge handed down a life sentence.
Note: The district court trial phase had 155 hearings.
This case is endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
2004年03月30日 Life Imprisonment. Sendai District Court
2005 September: Hearings begin.Sendai High Court
2005 October 9After only four hearings, the judge summarily terminates proceedings and announces March 22, 2006 as decision day. The defense team walks out of court and files for recusal .
2006年03月22日 Sentence affirmed.Sendai High Court.
2008年02月25日Sentence confirmed. Supreme Court
Later Actions
First Appeal for Retrial:
2012年02月10日 Retrial filed. Sendai District Court
2014年03月25日 Retrial rejected. Sendai District Court
2014年03月28日Special Protest Filed. Sendai High Court.
2018年02月28日Special Protest Rejected. Sendai High Court.
2018年03月05日 Special Protest filed with the Supreme Court.
Currently under review.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(Family /First)
F = female
Charges
~~~~
Hong Woman's Drug Case
Sapporo
2019/May
LIU Fung Ling (age 32) (F)
廖鳳齡
Resident of Hong Kong
Importation of 2 kg of stimulants from the U.S.
Summary
Prosecution demanded 12 years and a 4 million yen (35,000ドル) fine.
Court Chronology
Sapporo 2020/June
District Court
Not Guilty. (Confirmed)
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court LifeImprisonment
High Court2008年04月22日 Not Guilty
Later Actions
2006 The Tokyo District Court ordered Kyodo News to pay 1.65 million yen in compensation
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Iwate Hospital Case
岩手病院人工呼吸器停止事件
1999年09月10日
2001年11月27日
Fujimura Tazuko (F)
Professional Negligence Resulting in Death.
~~~~
?
Summary
A patient at the hospital was found dead after a respirator stopped functioning. The defendant, a nurse, was not indicted until 2001年11月27日, a full two years after the Incident.
Court Chronology
District CourtEight months in prison, suspended for two years.
High CourtConfirmed.
Supreme Court2005/12/19 Appeal is rejected, sentence is confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
~~~~
Incarcerated?
Osaka Ibaraki Daughter Death
Osaka Ibaraki City
Incident: 2014 June
Arrest: 2014/Dec
http://www.jiadep.org/Ibaraki_Daughter.html
19 year old mother (name withheld: minor at time of crime).
(stepfather) Kishimoto Yuki
岸本友希
Abandonment causing injury or death.
(punishment of up to 5 years)Article 219
~~~~~~~
Causing death through negligence Article 210
Summary
The mother was tried in a mixed jury trial and found innocent. The prosecution appealed, and the high court remanded the case back to the district court (the high court thought her guilty). The mother appealed to the Supreme Court, and in a very unusual decision, the Supreme Court overturned the remand and affirmed the district court decision. The mother's innocence was confirmed.
The stepfather was charged with the same crime, but during the hearings, the prosecution also added the lesser crime of causing death through negligence which is much less severe. He was found guilty of the lesser charge and sentenced to one and half years (without labor), and the sentence was suspended for three years. This sentence was confirmed.
Court Chronology
District Court:
Mother:not guilty 2015/Nov.(mixed jury verdict).
Father: guilty2016年01月28日 Death through negligence. Note: this is a relatively minor crime punished by fine only. confirmed.
High Court:
Mother: not guilty verdict is overturned, case is remanded to DC.
Supreme Court:
Mother: HC remand decision is overturned, and original DC decision is affirmed. Not guilty verdict is confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Iizuka Double Girls
Murder Case
飯塚２女児殺人事件
Fukuoka
1992年02月20日
1994年09月23日
(Note: 2 years and 7 months later.)
久間三千年
Born 1938
Murder x 2
~~~~~
No.
Summary
Executed on 2008年10月28日. Kuma maintained his innocence. Note: execution in the short span of two years after the sentence has been finalized for a contested case is practically unknown in modern times.
Court Chronology
District Court 1999年09月29日Death Fukuoka
High Court 2001年10月10日FukuokaDeath
Supreme Court2006年09月08日Death
Executed 2008年10月28日(age 70 at the time)
Later Actions
Retrials
District Court 2009年10月28日 (Fukuoka) Retrial filed.
2014年03月31日 Retrial rejected.
High Court 2014年04月03日 (Fukuoka) Special Complaint lodged.
2018年02月06日 Complaint is rejected.
Supreme Court2018年02月13日Special Complaint lodged.
2021年04月21日 Special Complaint rejected.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Iranian Smuggler
Osaka
2011
Abudei Sumairu
Drug Smuggling
Summary
Prosecution called for an 18 year sentence and a fine of 8 million yen (70,000ドル)
Court Chronology
District CourtOsaka2011年01月28日Not Guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
甲山
Hyogo
1974
Etsuko Yamada (F 24)
Kiyoshi Araki (M)
Yuko Tada (F)
Yamada: Murder
Araki: Perjury
Tada: Perjury
~~~
Yamada-yes, after 13 days of interrogation.
Summary
Two children, a boy and girl, both aged twelve, went missing from the Kabutoyama Institute, a school for retarded children and young adults. The bodies were retrieved from a septic tank. Etsuko Yamada, a nurse, was arrested, but not charged with murder. She then sued the police and was vengefully rearrested. This marathon case took 25 years.
Court Chronology
District Court1985年10月17日 Not Guilty( Kobe DC)
High Court1990年03月23日Decision is overturned. Remanded to District Court.
Supreme Court1992/04/07Defense's appeal against the remand is refused.
Later Actions
1998年03月24日Kobe District Court Not Guilty
1999年09月29日Osaka High CourtNot Guilty
Prosecution's appeal is rejected. Innocence is confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kagoshima Family Murder
1969年01月18日
Murder
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court12 Years
Supreme CourtRemanded to H. C.
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kagoshima Rape Case
Kagoshima prefecture
2012
Aged 20 at time of incident.
Rape of a 17 year old girl
Summary
Prosecution based on DNA evidence. High court lambasted the DNA laboratory involved in the case, saying it was possible that it succumbed to police pressure in reporting a false match. (Note this is the 3rd major finding of not guilty in Kagoshima prefecture in the short span of several years).
Court Chronology
District CourtKagoshima DC 2014 Guilty Sentenced to 4 years.
High Court Fukuoka HC 2016/Jan/26Sentenced overturned. Exonerated.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kaizuka Green House Case
貝塚ビニールハウス殺人事件
~~~~~
Osaka
1979年01月21日
5 male defendants.
Age 18 = 4
Age 21 = 1
Summary
1979年01月21日：A woman was raped and murdered in the city of Kaizuka in Osaka. Two days later, the deceased woman's husband took an 18 year old youth to the seaside, and beat him severely. The terrified youth confessed to carrying out the crime with 4 accomplices. On Jan 27, police arrested all suspects, 4 of whom were 18 ( minors under Japanese law) and a 21 year old. Despite having credible alibis, the five were known as a group of juvenile delinquents.All were further beaten by police, and confessed to the crime. There was no tangible evidence, biological or otherwise, to implicate the suspects.
Court Chronology
District Court 1982年12月23日Osaka D.C. The four 18 year olds were sentenced to 10 years. The 21 year old to 18 years. Four of the defendants appealed the decision.
High Court 1986年01月30日 Osaka H.C. Overturns the sentences and finds the four defendants not guilty. Prosecution abandons the case and the not guilty decisions are finalized.
Later Actions
High Court 1988年07月19日 The remaining defendant files for retrial which is granted.
High Court 1989年03月02日 The remaining defendant is found not guilty.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kamedo Police Violence
Tokyo
2004/02
Watanabe Akira
Obstructingpublic duties
(obstructingpolice )
~~~~
No
Summary
On his way home after an evening of drinking, the defendant asked a Tokyo police officer, "Tell me, whaddya think of the the Hokkaido Police money scandal?" He was thrown to the ground, roughed up, and charged with obstructing police officers in their performance.
Court Chronology
District Court2005年09月08日 Guilty (7 months labor suspended for 3 three years).
High Court 2006年05月24日 affirms lower court ruling.
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kanemori
金森
Korea
1941年10月02日
KanemoriKenji
Arson
Summary
The defendant was charged with setting a factory on fire.
Court Chronology
District Court1942年06月30日 15 YearsKorea
High Court1942年08月21日 15 YearsKorea
Supreme Court
Later Actions
1971年01月28日 Not Guilty (Osaka H.C.
~~~~~~~~~~~
State Redress Suits (Civil Court))
1973/04 Osaka District Court (Redress awarded)
1975/11 Osaka High Court (Decision is reversed.)
1977/02 Supreme Court Guilty (Affirmed)
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kanondou
観音堂
小平尚重
Arson
Summary
Court Chronology
District CourtTwo Years
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Retrial: Not Guilty
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Defendant is charged withthe death of 52 year old, Masaki Hayashi, whose body has never been recovered, Case based on circumstantial evidence.
Court Chronology
District Court2006年05月12日 Guilty
High Court Currently being appealed.
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kato Roh
Yamaguchi Prefecture
1915年07月11日
1915年07月25日
Kato Shinichi
加藤新一
b. 1893
Murder, Robbery
Summary
Kato was likely implicated by the accomplice or true perpetrator. Both received life sentences. The other died in 1918
Court Chronology
District Court1916年02月14日Life Imprisonment
High Court1916年08月04日Life Imprisonment
Supreme Court1916年11月07日Confirmed
Later Actions
1930Paroled
1969年06月17日 JFBA perceives a miscarriage of justice and launches an investigative committee.
1976/09Retrial granted(age 83)
1977年07月07日 Not Guilty(age 84)
1980年04月29日Kato passes away. (age 87)
///////////////////
State Redress Suits (Civil Court)
1980/07 Hiroshima D.C.Refused
1986/10 Hiroshima H.C.Refused
1987/01 Supreme CourtRefused
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
The accused was charged with murdering her 69 year old common law husband. Prosecution demanded a 13 year sentence,and the mixed jury found she acted in self-defense.
Court Chronology
District Court2011年02月02日 Not Guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kawaguchi city, Saitama pref.
2008年06月14日~15.
2018年06月13日
野沢徹 Nozawa Touru
aged 27 at the time of crime.
~~~
Currently in the Tokyo Detention Center awaiting retrial.
Rape of a minor.
Summary
Arrested for raping a 10 year old girl, just 27 hours before the 10 year statute of limitations expired. Convicted and sentenced to six years.
Court Chronology
District Court 2019年06月13日 Guilty: 6 years. (Prosecution demanded 8).
High Court: pending
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Kawai was arrested in August 1991 on suspicion of drowning his girlfriend's 5 year old son in her bathtub. Forensic analysis indicated the death occurred when Kawai was away, delivering newspapers early in the morning. A police tape recording of the woman confessing to the drowning was dismissed by the high court.
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court1996 Seven Years
Supreme Court Confirmed.
Later Actions
Defendant was released from prison in 2000. Television documentary about the case was made in 2001. Filedfor retrial in May 2005.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
On May 24, 1982, Hideo Kawashima,a bar owner, was arrested for the robbery and murder of a gangster. Kawashima possessed a shotgun and was leasing the bar from the victim.
Court Chronology
District Court (Chiba) 1988年01月18日16 years imprisonment
High Court(Tokyo) 1989年06月19日Appeal dismissed.
Supreme Court1994/03/15Appeal Dismissed. Sentence confirmed
Later Actions
2000年03月20日Kawashima is paroled.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kimagase
木間ケ瀬
1950
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1958 Death
High Court 1961 Not Guilty
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kita
喜多
喜多 純之介
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Tomoya Kitayama was arrested for the alleged arson attack in the city of Osaka in May 2005. Judge Munehisa Sugita said the police conduct exemplified a "vicious investigation that depended on confession while disrespecting material evidence."
Court Chronology
District Court2007/Mar/31 Not guiltyOsaka DC
High Court
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kobayashi Chiemi Arson Case Fukuoka city.
2009/Nov/28 and 2010/Jan
Kobayashi Chiemi (F)
小林智美
b. 1969
Arson x 2
1) residential building
2) automobile
Summary
The defendant was charged with setting fire to a male acquaintance's home in November, and then his wife's car in January. In a trial before a mixed jury, she was found guilty of setting the house fire, and not guilty of the car fire. The appeals court reversed the earlier arson conviction finding reasonable doubt. This is the second case of a mixed jury decision of guilty being overturned.
Court Chronology
District Court2011/March4 years imprisonment ( prosecution requested seven)
High Court2011年11月02日 Not Guilty
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kobe Pawnshop Murder/Robbery Case
神戸質店主殺害事件
Hyogo
2005年10月08日
2007年09月06日Note: 22 months later.
Ogata Hidehiko
緒方秀彦
Murder and Robbery of a Pawnshop
Owner
~~~
Yes
Summary
The defendant had visited the pawnshop to install a security camera. Tobacco containing his DNA was found at the scene as well as foot prints. The district court found the evidence flimsy and declared the defendant not guilty.
Court Chronology
District Court 2008年07月01日 Not Guilty
High Court 2009年09月24日GuiltyLife Imprisonment
Supreme Court2011年12月12日Confirmed
Later Actions
Ogata is currently housed at the Okayama prison. He has a support association that publishes a regular newsletter.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Koishikawa Case
小石川事件
Tokyo
2002年08月01日
2002年08月31日
伊原康介
Ihara
b. 1980
Murder/Robbery
~~~~
Yes
Summary
Ihara ischarged with the murder and robbery of an 83 year old woman with whom he shared a house. He and his female companion lived upstairs. One month after the murder, he was arrested for breaking into the same apartment and charged with robbery. Five months later, detectives coerceda confession to the murder.
This case has been endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
District Court 2004年03月29日 Guilty: Life Imprisonment
High Court 2004年12月21日 Affirmed.
Supreme Court 2005年06月17日 Confirmed
Later Actions
First Appeal for Retrial:
2015年05月08日 JFBA endorses case as a miscarriage of justice, begins official support.
2015年06月24日 Retrial filed (Tokyo District Court). Currently under review.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kokubunji Arson
1997
Tokyo
(Omitted) Mentally impaired man with an IQ of 40.
Arson
~~~~
Yes
Summary
After a series of 23 suspicious fires were set in Tokyo, police began interrogating mentally impairedresidents, and chargedone with arson.
Court Chronology
District Court1999/07 18 months of labor
High Court2000/07 Appeal is rejected.
Supreme Court2003/06 Appeal rejected, sentence is confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Koushoku
更新少年事件
1999年04月06日
Yamada Toshiro
Battery
Summary
information needed.
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Koutoku Shũsui Incident
幸徳秋水事件
AKA ：大逆事件
Daigyaku Incident.
1910~1911
25 male defendants.
1 female defendant.
Conspiracy to assassinate the emperor.
~~~~~~~~
No
Summary
A large group of socialists and anarchists were arrested for planning the assassination of Emperor Meiji. No assassination ever took place, but the charge of conspiracy was enough to sustain a sentence of death.
Court Chronology
District Court1911年01月18日Death x 24.Life x 2.
1911年01月24日11 male defendants executed.
1911年01月25日1 female defendant (Kanno Suga) executed.
Later Actions
5 defendants died in prison, 7 were paroled. 2 were ??
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Koutsu
江津
1962
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Kumagaya Parent Arson Murder Case
Kumagaya, Saitama
2011/March/10
2014/May (3+ years later)
Hatori Koichi
Arson, Murder.
~~~~
No.
Summary
A fire killed two elderly people on March 10, 2011. Their son, the defendant, who lived at home, fled and hid after the fire. First he claimed to have gone on a fishing trip, and later claimed he was thinking of suicide.
Court Chronology
District Court 2015/03Not guilty. Prosecution demanded life imprisonment.
High Court2016年06月07日 Not Guilty. Finalized.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Liang Stimulant
(Tried by Mixed Jurors)
梁振華
Liang Zhen-hua
(Japanese Ryou Shinka)
aged 33
ReceivingStimulants
Summary
Prosecutors demanded 13 years + Seven Million Yen (85,000ドル) sentence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Court Chronology
District Court (Tokyo) 2011年01月24日Not GuiltyConfirmed: Prosecution abandons appeal
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Loughlin was attacked by knife-wielding thugs in a bar. A Japanese bystander tried to break up the fight, but was knocked to the floor and later died from a brain hemorrhage. Loughlin was charged with the crime. He was represented by counsel who could not speak English and entered a guilty plea on his behalf.
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court2001/10/
Later Actions
Released 2003年09月05日
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
This case is a perfect example of bekken taiho 別件逮捕ーsometimes called a 'pretextual arrest':charging a suspect with a serious crime who is under investigation, or has been convicted of a minor crime. Six months after the murder, Naka was arrested and later convicted of pilfering charity boxes.
Chronology
2008年11月15日Naka arrested for pilfering charity boxes.
2008/NovNaka's home is searched for six straight days in connection with the murder.
2009/Apr Naka found guilty of theft. Immediately after, murder charges are filed.
Court Chronology
(Murder)
District Court 2011年05月18日 Life Imprisonment (Kyoto)
High Court2012年12月12日 Not Guilty
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Marusho
丸正
Mishima City, Shizuoka
1955年05月11日
1955年05月30日
Li _____
Suzuki Kazuo
Murder Robbery
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1957年10月31日Li: Life Imprisonment
Suzuki: 15 Years
High Court1958年12月09日Appeal is rejected.
Supreme Court 1960/07/19Confirmed
Later Actions
1963年12月26日 Request for Retrial is filed.
1974Li is Paroled
1989年01月02日Li dies.
1992年12月27日Suzuki dies.
Request for retrial is dropped after death of the defendants.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Maruyama Groping Case
2003年10月23日
Maruyama Isao (age 41 at the time)
Groping
~~~~
No
Summary
The defendant was charged with groping a high school girl on a train. He spent 105 days in detention. This case became the story for the movie "I just didn't do it. "
Court Chronology
District Court 2005年01月21日Guilty (18 months labor suspended for three years)
High Court 2006年03月08日 Not guilty.
Supreme CourtConfirmed
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
マルヨ無線事件
Maruyo Musen Case
(Murder/Arson/Robbery
AKA: Kawabata-Cho Case
川端町事件
1966年12月05日
Oda Nobuo 尾田信夫
b. 1946
age: 74
Aged 20 at time of crime. Admits the robbery, denies the charges of arson/murder as a cause of death. In its 1998年10月29日 decision, S.C. notes that part of the charges may be appealed.
Summary
The defendant, along with a 17 year old friend,was charged with breaking into his workplace with the intent of robbery. The pair attacked two employees staying overnight with hammer blows to the head, kicked over a stove, and caused a fire in which one of the employees died. The defense contends that the stove was not kicked over, and therefore the charges of murder/robbery are moot. It has continually challenged the charge of arson. The original defense attorney only met once with the socially insecure 20 year old defendant throughout the trial, and performed abysmally.
This case is endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
1968年12月24日 Fukuoka D.C. Death
1970年03月20日 Fukuoka H.CAffirmed
1970年11月12日 Supreme Court Confirmed
Later Actions
Appeals Chronology:
1973~1979 4 appeals filed. All are denied
1975年12月08日JFBA perceives a miscarriage of justice and launches an investigative committee.
1979年02月01日Japan Federation of Bar Associations joins the defense.
1979-2013 5th and 6th appeals are filed. All are denied.
2013年07月16日7th appeal filed. Currently being adjudicated.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(Family /First)
F = female
Charges
~~~~
松橋事件
Kumamoto prefecture
1985年01月06日
1985年01月08日
Miyata Koki
Murder and Robbery
~~~~~
Yes.
Summary
Miyata was accused of stabbing an acquaintance to death after a quarrel. Miyata was interrogated around the clock for 12 days and eventually confessed. His first trial lawyer urged him to plead guilty. He changed his plea, and lawyer, in mid-trial, but was ultimately convicted. He served 14 years until his release in 1999. He was ultimately exonerated in 2019.
Court Chronology
1986年12月22日
District Court
Kumamoto
Guilty 13 years.
1988年06月21日
High Court
Fukuoka
Affirmed.
1990年01月26日
Supreme Court
Confirmed
1999年07月22日 Miyata completes sentence and is released
Retrial Attempts
2011年08月18日 JFBA endorses case as a miscarriage of justice, begins official support.
2012年03月12日
2016年06月30日
District Court
Kumamoto
Retrial filed.
Retrial granted.
2016年07月02日 ~
2018年10月10日
Prosecution lodges protests with the high court and the Supreme Court. All are rejected.
2019年03月28日
District Court
Kumamoto
Not Guilty
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court1950年12月06日5 sentenced to death.5 to life Imprisonment.
10 sentenced to various terms.
High Court1953年12月22日
4 sentenced to death.2 to life imprisonment.
11 sentenced to various terms.3 found innocent.
Supreme Court1959/8/10
High Court decision is overturned and remanded.
Later Actions
1961年8月8日Sendai High CourtAll defendants found not guilty.
1963年9月12日Supreme CourtProsecution's appeal is rejected. Innocence is finalized.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Matsuo
松尾事件
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Matsuyama
1955年10月18日
Saito Yoshio
Incarcerated: 28.5years
Murder, robbery, arson
Summary
The defendant was charged with murdering a family of four, committing robbery, and setting the house on fire.
NOTE: This is one of only 4 death penalty cases that have been reversed since 1948.
Court Chronology
District Court 1957年10月29日Death
High Court 1959年05月26日Death
Supreme Court1960/11/01Death
Later Actions
1962/Nov/20 Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) launches a special committee to investigate the case.
1979/Dec/6Retrial Granted
1984年07月11日 Not Guilty: Exonerated.
~~~~~~~~~
State Redress Suit filed incivil court.
1991/07 Sendai D.C. Denied.
2006年07月05日 Saito passes away.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Menda became the first defendant (of only four) to be exonerated from death row in the postwar era.
NOTE: This is one of only 4 death penalty cases that have been reversed since 1948.
Court Chronology
District Court 1950年03月23日 Death
High Court1951年03月19日 Death
Supreme Court1951年12月25日 Death
Later Actions
1956年08月10日 Third Appeal for Retrial Accepted(Kumamoto D.C.)
1959年04月15日 Retrial is cancelled (Fukuoka H.C.)
1961年09月23日 Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) launches a special committee to investigate the case.
1979年09月27日 Sixth Appeal for Retrial Accepted (Fukuoka H.C.)
1980年12月11日 Prosecution's protest of retrial is rejected. (S.C.)
1983年07月15日 Not Guilty (Kumamoto D.C. Yachiyo Branch) Exonerated.Length of incarceration: 34 years.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tokyo
2010/Sep
8th Verdict of "not guilty" under the 2009 mixed jury system.
2nd mixed jury case of "not guilty" to be overturned.
M. Luis Garcia
aged 34
Importing stimulants and participation in an international drug cartel.
Summary
The accused was charged with accepting a package containing six kilograms of stimulants and participating in an international cartel. Prosecutors demanded 15 years and a fine of 8 million yen.
Court Chronology
District Court2010年07月01日 Not Guilty 8th Verdict of "not guilty" under the mixed jury system.
High Court 2011年12月08日GuiltySentenced to 12 years and and 6 million yen (50,000ドル) fine.
Supreme Court 2013年04月16日Confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Midori-so
みどり荘
(Sleepwalking Case)
Kutsukake
Murder Rape
~~~~
Yes
Summary
After a young woman was raped and murdered, police interrogated her young male neighbor who was home and asleep during the Incident. Police forced him to confess to the crime "while Iwas sleepwalking."
Court Chronology
District Court Guilty. Life Imprisonment
High Court Not Guilty.Prosecution abandons appeal. Decision is confirmed
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Toshio Miki, (age 57) was charged with stabbing Hideo Shirasaki, (age 56) and leaving him critically injured on a street where he was struck by a motor vehicle. Miki was arrested Oct. 13 2005, 27 days before the 15 year statute of limitations expired. The defense claims the DNA blood analysis on the knife was not credible.
Court Chronology
District Court 2006年04月09日13 years
High Court?????????
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
1981 August 31 Miura's wife Kazumi is assaulted in anL.A.hotel.
1981 November 18, Miura is shot in leg, Kazumi is shot in the head. She loses consciousness and dies in a Japanese hospital on Nov. 30, 1982-about one year later.
1985 Miura arrested for assault (in Japan). Note: Japanese citizens can be tried for crimes committed overseas.
Court Chronology
District Court:
1985Guilty of Assault- 6 years.
1988Oct 20.Rearrested and charged with murder.
1994Guilty.Sentenced to life imprisonment.
High Court
1998Not guilty
Supreme Court
2003/March/5 Not Guilty of Murder (Confirmed)
Later Actions
2008 February 22.Rearrested in Saipan
2008 October 10. Found dead in his cell in Los Angeles.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Misaki Case
三崎
Arai Masao
Murder x 3
~~~~~
Yes
Summary
Convicted for the murder of a family of three. The actual perpetrator was seen running from the scene of the crime. Arai has a severe foot injury from a traffic accident which makes this impossible, and his large shoes (27 cm) differ from the footprints left at the scene. No other evidence links the defendant to the Incident.
Court Chronology
District Court 1976年09月25日 Death(Yokohama (Nasu branch)
High Court1984年12月18日 Death
Supreme Court1990/10/16Death
Later Actions
1991/01 Files for retrial.
2009 Dies in prison
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Missing Money/Nishioka
京都不明金
Kyoto
(F) Nishioka
Embezzlement
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
On July 15, 1949, A deadly derailment killed six people at Mitaka railway station in Tokyo. Ten people, including Takeuchi, were charged with train sabotage resulting in death. All were members of the Communist Party. In 1950 the Tokyo District Court sentenced Takeuchi to life imprisonment, and acquitted the 9 others. In 1951, the Tokyo High Court overturned the district court ruling and sentenced Takeuchi to death. The Supreme Court confirmed this decision in 1955.
Court Chronology
District Court 1950年08月11日 Takeuchi: Life Imprisonment. Nine others: not guilty.
High Court 1951年03月30日 Takeuchi's sentence raised to death. Nine others: not guilty.
Supreme Court 1955Appeal denied. Death sentence is confirmed.
Later Actions
Takeuchi dies in prison seeking appeal.
High Court2022年03月01日 Appeal rejected. (Denial comes just two weeks after appeal was filed!)
~~~~~~
High Court: 2019年07月31日 Appeal rejected. Death Sentence is reconfirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Miyadai
宮代
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Chilean National
2001 August
Tokyo
Nagano
A. M.
(Name removed by
defendant's request.)
Theft
~~~~
Summary
Chilean A. M.was accused of abetting and participating in the theft of a necklace and then a car. The court found that no necklace was stolen, and that the defendant was not complicit in stealing an automobile. The prosecution appealed and A.M. was later found guilty.
Court Chronology
District Court 2003年05月29日Not Guilty.(Suwa Summary Court)
High Court 2004年08月17日 Guilty:Two Years of Labor
Supreme Court2004年12月14日Guilty Confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(Family /First)
F = female
Charges
~~~~
Multiple Cannon
Firings Case
2013/Nov: Yokota Air Base
2014/Oct:Saitama Building
~~~~~~
Arrest: 2017年07月14日
沼田豊綱
Numata Toyotsuna
b. 1951
age 62 at the timeof the first incident.
Violation of Firearm Laws.
Summary
Numata, suspected of being a member of a radical political sect, was charged with firing projectiles at two different locations in 2013 and 2014. There were no injuries in either case. The prosecution demanded 30 years.
Court Chronology
2020年12月18日 (3.5 years after arrest).
District Court
Not Guilty.
High Court
Currently being appealed.
Supreme Court
Retrials
Retrials
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Muraki, a bureaucrat with the Welfare Ministry, was charged with forging a document allowing commercial businesses to use reduced postal rates for welfare organizations which aid the blind and physically challenged.
Court Chronology
District Court2010年09月11日 Not Guilty
High Court Prosecution abandons the case.
Supreme Court
Later Actions:
3 prosecutors were arrested for malfeasance. Two were fired, one was sent to prison.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Mure
牟礼
1950年04月13日
Arrested 1952年10月03日
(2.5 years later)
Satou
Two other codefendants
Murder, Robbery,
Hiding the Corpse
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1954年10月25日 Death Tokyo
High Court 1957年06月20日 Death Tokyo
Supreme Court 1958/08/05 Confirmed
Later Actions
1960年02月12日 1st Request for Retrial filed.
1989年10月27日Satou dies in prison
8th Request for Retrial is abandoned.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
名張
61/03/28
Mie
Nabari City
Arrested61/04/02
Okunishi Masaru
aged 35 at the time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Died in prison: October 4, 2015Aged 89
Murder x 5
~~~~~
Yes
Summary
Five women died at a town meeting after drinking wine laced with poison. The investigation focussed on those in possession of the wine that day, and was narrowed to three people. The key suspect became thirty five year old Masaru Okunishi. Of the five women who perished, one was his wife and another was a lover. A great tragedy of Japanese justice, Okunishi was found not guilty in his first trial, and guilty in the second. He passed away on death row in 2015.
This case is endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
District Court(Tsu) 1964年12月23日Not Guilty
High Court(Nagoya) 1969年09月10日 Death
Supreme Court 1972/06/15Confirmed
Later Actions
Retrial Appeals
1973年10月03日 JFBA launches an investigative committee.
1973~2002 6 appeals for retrial filed. All are rejected.
7th Appeal for Retrial:
20027th request for retrial is filed.
2005年04月05日 Request for retrial is granted. Prosecution files objection.
2006年12月26日 Prosecution’s objection is granted, retrial is repealed.
2010年04月05日 Supreme Court overturns repeal and grants a retrial.
2012年05月25日 Nagoya High Court denies retrial.
2015年10月04日 Okunishi passes away in prison.
10th Appeal for Retrial:
2017年12月08日Nagoya High Court denies 10th petition for retrial.
2017年12月11日Special Protest filed over retrial denial.
2022年03月03日 Nagoya High Court denies 11th petition for retrial.
Current Status: Protest is being adjudicated in the Nagoya High Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hiroshima city, Hiroshima pref.
2001年01月17日
Nakamura Kuniharu
Murder of mother and two daughters.
~~~~
Yes.
Summary
Nakamura, 39, a former company employee, was indicted on charges of killing his mother, and two daughters for insurance payouts on Jan. 17, 2001. He was also charged with setting fire to the house, killing his two daughters, Ayaka, 8, and Arisu, 6.
The prosecution demanded death. Note: 3rd case in modern Japanese history in which a defendant was found not guilty in a capital case.
Court Chronology
District Court 2007/11Not Guilty
High Court 2009年12月15日Not Guilty
Supreme Court2012年02月24日Not Guilty
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Okinawa Elderly Murder Case
2015/Feb
2015/Dec
Nakayama Seiju(?)
中山盛寿
murder
Summary
A 77 year old man was found not guilt of his wife's murder, and escapeda 17 year prison term. Sorry, no English reportage. The courts ruled that there was a strong possibility that the murder was committed by a third party.
Court Chronology
District Court:
2017年10月27日Okinawa DC Not Guilty
High Court:
2018年07月12日 Fukuoka HC Not Guilty Confirmed
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Osaka
2016/April
2016/July
Not released.
69 year old woman.
Assault and causing bodily injury resulting in death.
Summary
The woman, grandmother of the child,was initially arrested and prosecuted on suspicion of assault and causing bodily injury resulting in death.
Court Chronology
District Court Guilty 2017/OctoberSentenced to 5.5 years.
High Court Not Guilty 2019/October 25Not Guilty.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Niho
仁保
1954年10月26日
Tamotsu Okabe
Murder
~~~
Yes, claims he was tortured.
Summary
The defendant was charged with the murder of the family of six in Niho, Yamaguchi prefecture.
Court Chronology
District Court 1962年06月15日Death
High Court 1968年02月14日 Death
Supreme Court1970/07/31 Reverses the decision and remands the case.
Later Actions
1972年12月14日 Not GuiltyHiroshima High Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Nisan Sunny Case
Iwaki City, Fukushima
DOI: 1967年10月27日
DOA: 1968年04月27日
Saito
Murder, Robbery, Theft
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court1969年04月02日 Life Imprisonment
High Court1970年04月16日 Life Imprisonment
Supreme Court1971/04/19 Confirmed
Later Actions
1988年05月01日 Paroled
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Shiga Prefecture
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200210/p2a/00m/0na/015000c
~~~~~
2003年05月22日
2004年07月06日
Nishiyama Mika ( F)
Murder of a hospital patient
~~~~~~
Yes.
Summary
On May 22, 2003, a 72 year old male patient in a vegetative state died. One year later, Nishiyama was charged with removing a breathing tube and murder. She has a mild cognitive disorder and quickly confessed.
Court Chronology
District Court 2005年11月29日Guilty: 12 years.
High Court: Confirmed.
Supreme Court: 2007年06月06日Confirmed.
Later Actions
District Court:
2010年09月21日Retrial filed.
2011年03月30日Retrial rejected. Defense's objections are later rejected by both the High Court and the Supreme Court.
2012年09月28日2nd petition for retrial is filed.
2015年09月30日2nd petition for retrial is rejected.
2015年10月05日 Defense team files immediate appeal.
(2017/AugustNishiyama finishes sentence and is released. )
High Court:
2017年12月20日 Defense's appeal is accepted and retrial is granted. Prosecution files appeal to supreme court.
Supreme Court:
2019年03月18日Prosecution's protest is rejected, retrial is confirmed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
District Court Retrial Chronology
2019/April. Prosecutors announce that they will contest the decision.
2019/0ct. Prosecutors announce that they will decline to further substantiate the case ( but insist that the defendant is guilty).
2020/Feb/03 First retrial hearing.
2020/Feb/10 Closing arguments and prosecution's sentence demands.
2020/March/ 31 Not guilty.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Civil Suit Chronology
2021年05月21日Awarded 7,330,000 yen (80,630ドル) for previous court costs.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tokyo
1972
Nishiyama Takichi
Exposing government documents in violation of the National Public Services Law.
Summary
Arrested and charged together with a female Foreign Ministry secretary for exposing classified internal documents about the negotiation process behind Okinawa's reversion from U.S. occupation. Both were accused of violating the National Public Services Law. According to the reports, Japan shouldered 4ドル million in costs for the reversion under the secret agreement, which has been consistently denied by the government.
Court Chronology
District CourtNot Guilty
High Court Guilty
Supreme Court1978 Guilty Confirmed
Later Actions
2005: Files suit seeking 33 million yen in compensation after the US government released documents proving his claim.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Nitsuchi
Niishi + Tsuchida-taku + Peace-can (Cigarette-can)
日土(日石・土田邸・ピース缶爆弾事件)
Tokyo
1969年10月24日
1971年10月18日
1971年12月18日
DOA 1972/09
Masubuchi Toshiyuki
増淵利行
and 18others.
Summary
A package delivered to the Japan Petroleum Company exploded and caused one person serious injury. On 1971年12月18日, Tamiko Tsuchida, wife of a high ranking police official, was killed opening a package that contained a bomb. Police seized Masubuchi, then a student of Hosei University-a member of the Lenin study group. The trial took ten years and the prosecution sought death for Masubuchi, and twelve year terms for two of the accomplices. At the end of the ten year statute of limitations, two of the real culprits admitted to two of the crimes.
Court Chronology
District Court1982年03月24日 Not Guilty Tokyo
High Court 1985年12月13日Not GuiltyTokyo(confirmed)
Supreme Court
Later Actions
In April of 1979, a red army faction activist, Masanori Wakamiya, testified that he was responsible for one of the Peace-can bombings of the police station. Since the statute of limitations had passed, he was not indicted. On May 25, 1982, Yoshiaki Makita, son of the president of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, held a press conference and confessed that he and his associates - not any of the accused -were responsible for the bombings. Since the statue of limitations had passed, he was not tried.
All the defendants brought suits against the state for redress, but only one received compensation.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Noda 野田
Noda City, Chiba
1979年09月11日
1979年09月29日
Aoyama Tadashi
Murder
~~~
Yes
Summary
Aoyama is mentally challenged. He was charged with the murder of a first grade elementary school student.
Court Chronology
District Court 1987年01月26日12 years.
High Court 1989年09月06日Affirmed.
Supreme Court1993/12/20Appeal rejected. Sentence confirmed.
Later Actions
1994年08月14日Aoyama is released from prison.
2014年07月14日Retrial filed.
2019年09月18日Aoyama passes away.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Noda #2
Noda
Murder, battery, rape.
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court90/03/15 Not guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Osaka Video Room Arson/Murder Case
大阪個室ビデオ店放火殺人事件
2008年08月01日
Ogawa Kazuhiro
小川和弘
b. 1961
Arson and Murder
(16 deaths)
Summary
Charged with starting a fire with accelerant and killing 16 people. Insists the charges are bogus and the fire started from another room.(More )
This case has been endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology:
District Court 2009年12月02日 Death.
High Court2011年07月26日 Death
Supreme Court2014年03月06日 Death
Later Actions
First Appeal for Retrial:
2014/May/28 Retrial filed. Osaka DC
2014年09月16日 Files for retrial support with the JFBA
2018/March. Retrial is rejected. Osaka DC.Defense files instantaneous special protest to the Osaka HC
2018年10月09日Special protest is rejected. Defense files instantaneous special protest to the SC.
2019年6月20日JFBA endorses case as a miscarriage of justice, begins official support.
(Note: Nearly 5 years after application.)
2019年07月17日 Supreme CourtSpecial protest is rejected. Retrial denial is confirmed.
Current status: defense is planning a second appeal.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Ohmori Kangin Bank
大森勧銀事件
1970
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 73/??/?? Life Imprisonment
High Court78/??/??Not Guilty
Supreme Court82/??/??Not Guilty decision is confirmed
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
大崎
Kagoshima
1979年10月12日
Haraguchi Ayako (F)
(Nee Nakamura)
+ two others.
Murder, Disposal of a Corpse.
~~~~~~
Summary
In October 1979, Kunio Nakamura, a 42-year-old farmer, was found dead in a cattle barn near his home in the town of Ohsaki, Kagoshima Prefecture. 3 people were charged with the slaying, Nakamura's two brothers, and Haraguchi. Haraguchi was married to the older brother. The brothers, one of whom was mentally retarded, plead guilty,implicated Haraguchi, and received 8 year sentences. Haraguchi plead innocent and was sentenced to 10 years.
This case has been endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
District Court80/03/31 Haraguchi 10 years. Three others get 1-8 years.
High Court1980年10月14日 Haraguchi's appeal is rejected
Supreme Court1981/01/30 Appeal is rejected. Sentence is finalized.
Later Actions
1990年07月17日Haraguchi completes her term and is released from prison.
First Appeal for Retrial:
95/04/19 Appeal for retrial is filed.
2002年03月20日 Kagoshima D.C. Retrial is granted.
2004年12月09日 Kagoshima H.C. Retrial is overturned.
2006年01月31日 SC affirms the H.C. decision.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Second Appeal for Retrial:
2010/08 2nd appeal for retrial is filed.
2013年03月06日 Kagoshima DC: appeal is rejected.
2014年07月15日 Fukuoka HC affirms DC judgement and rejects retrial.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Third Appeal for Retrial:
2017年06月28日 Kagoshima DC grants retrial.
2018年03月12日 Fukuoka HC affirms retrial.
2019年06月25日 Supreme Court overturns grant of retrial.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fourth Appeal for Retrial:
2020年03月30日 Filed in Kagoshima DC
2022年06月21日 Kagoshima DC 4th appeal for retrial is rejected.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Ohte-cho
大手町
1986年05月03日
Murder, robbery, theft
~~~~
No
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court1993年11月17日 Life Imprisonment Hiroshima
High Court 2000年2月22日 Appeal is rejectedHiroshima
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Oike Double Jeopardy Arson Case
Osaka
2007年5月5日
Oike Osamu
尾池治
Arson, Murder x 3
~~~~~
Yes.
Summary
In the first trial, the judge found the DVD confession to be unreliable, and the existence of other suspects to be quite high. On appeal, this judgement was overturned.
Court Chronology
District Court 2010/Feb/16Not Guilty
High Court 2011/Feb/23 Guilty17 Years
Supreme Court2012年12月14日 Guilty Confirmed.
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Prosecutors sought a five year sentence and one million yen fine.
Court Chronology
District Court 2011年04月28日Not Guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Tried by a mixed jury system, Okamoto, who had a long record of thefts was accused of trespassing, theft, and setting fire to an apartment. The district court found him guilty oftrespassing and theft, but not guilty of the arson charge.
Court Chronology
District Court 2010 July. Trespassing and Theft: guilty. Arson: not guilty.
Sentence: 18 months.
High Court 2011年03月29日Prosecution's objection is sustained.
Arson charge is remanded for retrial.
Supreme CourtSustains the defense objection to the remand.
Defendant is not guilty of arson.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
September 2, 1999. After urging a young woman to speak quietly into her cellphone while aboard a Tokyo train, the woman reported Okita as a groper. He denied the charges and spent 21 days in confinement, after which, the charges were dropped. He filed a State Redress Suit against the police and a civil suit against the woman who accused him. Though the State Redress Suit ultimately failed, the Supreme Court in a Nov 2008 ruling vacated previous dismissals of his civil suit and reinstated the case against the woman.
Court Chronology
District CourtCivil Suit. 2006年04月10日 (Lost)
High Court
Supreme Court2008/Nov/07SC vacates lower court decisions against the woman and remands the case back for further hearing.
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Okize/Matsunaga
沖縄ゼネスト警官死亡事件
Matsunaga Yoh
松永優
Summary
On November 10, 1971, during a demonstration protesting the conditions put forward for Okinawa's reversion to Japan, a riot policeman was hit with a firebomb and died. The defendant tried to roll the officer to extinguish the flames. He was arrested and charged with murder.
Court Chronology
District Court (Naha)1974年10月07日 Guilty One year of labor suspended for two years.
High Court1976年04月25日Not Guilty.
Later Actions
Matsunaga sought damages of 15,000,000 and apologies in the 5 major newspapers.
1976年12月08日Tokyo District Court awarded damages of 3,500,000 yen.
Does not order any apologies.
1983年10月20日 Tokyo High Court: affirms DC decision.
1989年06月29日 Supreme Court disagrees and remands to HC.
1992年03月06日Tokyo HC erases awards.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Osaka Ibaraki Daughter Death
Osaka Ibaraki City
2014/Dec
( More )
19 year old mother (name withheld: minor at time of crime).
(stepfather) Kishimoto Yuki (male)
岸本友希
Abandonment causing injury or death.
~~~~~~~
Causing death through negligence.
Summary
The mother was tried in a mixed jury trial and found innocent. The prosecution appealed, and the high court remanded the case back to the district court (the high court thought her guilty). The mother appealed to the Supreme Court, and in a very unusual decision, the Supreme Court overturned the remand and affirmed the district court decision. The mother's innocence was confirmed.
The stepfather was charged with the same crime, but during the hearings, the prosecution also added the lesser crime of causing death through negligence which is much less severe. He was found guilty of the lesser charge and sentenced to one and half years (without labor), and the sentence was suspended for three years. This sentence was confirmed.
Court Chronology
District Court
Mother: not guilty 2015/Nov.(mixed jury verdict).
Father: guilty2016年01月28日 Death through negligence. Note: this is a relativelyminor crime punished by fine only. Confirmed.
High Court
Mother: not guilty verdict is overturned, case is remanded to DC.
Supreme Court
Mother: HC decision is overturned, DC decision is affirmed, not guilty verdict is confirmed.
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Osaka Attempted Rape
2006/March
Unknown
Attempted Rape
Summary
The accused admitted visiting the home of the defendant and throwing her to the ground, but denies the charge of attempted rape. According to the judge,Judge Hiroshi Furukawa, "The testimony of the victim has been altered and shows deliberate lies. " Mainichi Shinbun 07/06/20 (Evening. p.10)
Court Chronology
Osaka DC2006/12 2.5 years of labor
Osaka HC2007年06月19日Not guilty
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Osaka Child Kidnapping and Murder Case.
大阪の児童誘拐殺人
(勉ちゃん誘拐殺人)
Osaka
1982年03月19日
Nozaki Noboru
野崎登
b. 1922
Kidnapping and Murder
~~~~
Yes.
Summary
17 days after being reported as missing, a 7 year old's naked and stabbed corpse was discovered. The district court found the evidence to be circumstantial and the confession to be inaccurate. The high court reversed and the defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Court Chronology
District Court 1988年04月26日Not Guilty
High Court1991年09月26日 Life Imprisonment
Supreme Court ?????
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
The defendant was charged with two separate rapes of the same girl/woman in 2004 and 2008. The victim later recanted the testimony, admitting that it was a fabrication. The defendant served six years.
Court Chronology
District Court:2009: 12 years
High Court:Confirmed.
Supreme Court: Confirmed.
Later Actions
After the accuser recanted, the defendant was released in Nov 2014, retried, and acquitted in Oct 2015. He then brought a civil suit against the police
2019年01月08日Defendant's state redress suit seeking 140 million yen(1ドル.3 million) was rejected.
202007/14Supreme Court: civil suit is rejected.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Osaka city, Osaka Pref
2015年03月14日
2016年11月02日 (18 months later)
Miura Kohei
三浦孝平 (age 26)
Inflicting serious injury.
~~~
No
Summary
Charges: violently shaking a 3 month old baby resulting in permanent loss of consciousness. Prosecutors demanded a 5 year sentence.
Court Chronology
District Court2019年01月11日Not guilty.
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Oume
青梅
10 defendants.
Overturning a train.
〜〜〜
Summary
On Feb 19, a railway malfunction lead to a train smash. Ten members of the communist party were brutally interrogated and forced to confess.
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court 1966: Remands case to the high court for rehearing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
High Court1968: Not guilty.
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
親父狩り#1
(Adult Trial)
Osaka
2004
Fujimoto (Soh) Atsushi (29)
Okamoto Taishi (26)
plus 3youths.
Assault/
Robbery
〜〜〜〜
No
Summary
The youths were charged with assault and robbery in a "papa capture (oyajigari) case."
Court Chronology
District Court 2006年03月20日 Not guilty Fujimoto &Okamoto
High CourtConfirmed.
Supreme Court
Later Actions
07/12/07 Osaka Family Court
Reverses earlier ruling for 14 year old youth.
2011/Jan/20Osaka District Court finds that the interrogations were illegal and orders payment of 15,000,000 yen to five defendants in state redress suit!
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
親父狩り#2
2004
Youths Trial
Three Youths (minors names may not be disclosed)
Assault
Robbery
~~~
Yes
Summary
On Feb 16, 2004, four youths muggedan unknown middle-aged man. The victim turned out to be the honorable Kenji Torigoe, chief judge of the Osaka District Court. As the exhaustive investigation turned cold, police arrested 3 minors and forcefully extracted confessions. Two adults (Oyajigari #1) were also charged .
Court Chronology
District Court
Youth 1) 16 yr old: 2004/July Sent to Medium Level Reformatory
Youth 2) 14 yr old: 2006/MarSent to Medium Level Reformatory
Youth 3) 13yr old: not incarcerated
High Court
Youth 1) 16 yr old:2007/JulFamily Court decision is nullified.
2007年12月17日 Dismisses Case (= not guilty)
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Youth 3) Files redress suit against the state. 2007/April
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Rokko-san
六甲山事件
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Rosal
Matsudo City, Chiba
1997年11月09日
1997年11月11日
Rosal Manalili Villanueva
Filipina (aged 28)
Murder
~~
Yes
Summary
After spending a night in the hospital visiting her sick daughter, Rosal arrives home to find her live in partner laying on the couch in a pool of blood. An autopsy confirmed 52 stab wounds. Both Rosal and her ex-husband, who hadtried to break into the apartment the previous evening, were taken in for questioning. Rosal, not under arrest, made a false confession after being illegally detained and interrogatedaround the clock for 10 days without access to attorneys or Consulate staff.
Court Chronology
District Court2000/ 8.5 yearsChiba
High Court2002年09月04日 8.5 yearsTokyo
Supreme Court Appeal abandoned. (Knowing that the Supreme Court appeal process is not calculated in time served, and expecting to lose, Rosal abandons final appeal.)
Later Actions
2003年06月03日 In a separate civil suit against the police, Rosal is awarded two million yen for illegal confinement before arrest.
2007/ JanuaryDeported to the Philippines.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Ryumon?
竜門
Murder
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court Not Guilty
High Court 8 years.
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Sachiura
幸浦
1948年11月29日
Four Men ages 19~45.
Murder x 4/robbery/ arson
〜〜〜〜
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1950年4月27日
Three sentenced to death, One to labor.
High Court 1951年5月8日
Appeal is rejected
Supreme Court 1957/2/14
Appeal is remanded back to the High Court
Later Actions
1959年2月28日(Tokyo High Court)Not guilty
1963年7月9日 (Supreme Court)
Prosecution's appeal is rejected. Innocence is confirmed
The village is now part of Fukuroi city.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Sagamihara
Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
2017/Dec/12
2017/Dec/12
Oishi Akihito
Age 39 at time of crime.
murder
~~~~
No.
Summary
The defendant was indicted for a fatal stabbing near his home. Police claim his glasses were at the crime scene and that the defendant's blood was on his bicycle. Prosecutors asked for an 18 year sentence.( MORE )
Court Chronology
District Court2019年05月31日Not guilty.
High Court2020年01月23日 Not guilty: confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Saitagawa 財田川
Kagawa
1950年02月28日
Taniguchi Shigeyoshi
Exonerated
Time Served = 34 years
murder ( x 1)
robbery
Summary
One of four postwar death sentence exonerations. The judge who heard the petition for retrial quit the bench in order to defend Taniguchi. His hard work was fruitful and the defendant was released after 34 years in prison.
Court Chronology
District Court 1952年02月20日 Death
High Court 1956年06月08日 Appeal Denied
Supreme Court 1957/01/22Confirmed.
Later Actions
1976年09月17日Japan Federation of Bar Associations perceives a miscarriage of justice, and launches a special investigative committee.
1979/June/07Retrial granted
1983/March Former judge turned attorney Yano dies.
1984年03月12日 EXONERATED
2005年07月26日Taniguchi dies.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
San-oku-en
三億円事件
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Sasaki
佐々木
1974年10月30日
Sasaki Tetsuya
佐々木哲也
Murder x 2
~~~
Yes
Summary
Sasaki was convicted of killing his parents. He maintains his innocence.
Court Chronology
District Court 1984年03月15日 Death(Chiba)
High Court 1986年08月29日 Death(Tokyo)
Supreme Court 1992/01/31 (Death)
Later Actions
Retrial has been filed. Sasaki is currently on death row in Tokyo.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
A young woman was kidnapped and a well written ransom note was delivered to her family. She was later raped and killed. Police arrested Ishikawa, a semi-literate Burakumin, and forced him to confess.
Court Chronology
District Court 1964年03月11日 Death
High Court 1974年10月31日 Life Imprisonment
Supreme Court 1977/08/09 Confirmed
Later Actions
1977年08月30日 Request for retrial
1995/ December. Ishikawa is paroled.
2005年03月15日 2nd Appeal for retrial denied.
2006年05月23日 3rd appeal for retrial submitted to Tokyo High Court. (Exactly 43 years after original arrest)
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Sekiguchi was charged with bringing 6.2 kg of amphetamines from Canada. He was found not guilty in a mixed jury trial. The prosecution appealed and the high court sentenced him to 12 years.
Court Chronology
District Court 2013年02月08日Not Guilty.5th mixed jury case of not guilty
High Court2014年03月02日Guilty 11 years and a fine of 6 million yen (50,000ドル) The fine is payable through work one day = 10,000 yen (90ドル).
Supreme Court Confirmed
The defendant is now incarcerated at Nagano Prison.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(Family /First)
F = female
Charges
~~~~
Sekine Obscenity Case
Tokyo
2016年05月10日
Sekine Susumu M.D.
関根進
aged 40 at the time.
Obscenity
Summary
Sekine is charged with licking the breast of his female patient immediately after performing surgery for a mammary tumor. He denied the claims, refused to confess,and was held in detention for 105 days. The defense claims the patient suffered from "post-surgical delirium."Noted defense attorney Takashi Takano is defending the case. The case has support from the Japan People's Relief Association.
Court Chronology
2019年02月20日
District Court
Not Guilty
2020年07月13日
High Court
Guilty: 2 years of labor
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Shimada
島田事件
Shizuoka
1954/03
Akabori Masao
Exonerated
Incarcerated 34 Years
Murder
~~~~~
Yes
Summary
Akabori, who is autistic, was arrested and charged for murdering a child. He is one of only four people whose death sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court, and was later found innocent.
Court Chronology
District CourtDeath 1958年05月23日 Death
High Court Death 1960年02月17日 Affirmed
Supreme Court1960年12月05日 Confirmed
Later Actions
1977/Mar/18 Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) launches a special committee to investigate the case.
1986年05月30日Retrial granted. (Shizuoka High Court.)
1989年01月31日 Not Guilty Incarcerated: 34 years
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Shiki Mother-Child Arson Murder Case
志木母子放火殺人
Shiki city, Saitama pref
Incident:2008年12月03日
Arrest: 2013年08月29日
Note: Arrested 46 months after the incident.
Yamano Teruyuki
山野輝之
b.
Arson, Murder
Summary
The defendant was charged with arson and the murder of his wife and daughter. He was arrested nearly five years after the fire.
Court Chronology
District Court 2015年03月23日Not Guilty
High Court 2016年07月14日 Not guilty decision is overturned and remanded to the district court.
Supreme Court2017年02月08日Defendant's appeal is rejected.
High court's decision is affirmed.
Case to be retried in district court.
RETRIAL:
District Court (Saitama) 2019年10月31日 Guilty Sentenced to Life Imprisonment.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Shimotakaido
Takano
Arson
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 2004年02月23日 Not Guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Shirahama
Kagoshima
Shirahama Masahiro
aged 71 at time of trial
Murder and robbery ofan elderly couple
Summary
Prosecution demanded death. First (and only) decision of 'not guilty' in a death penalty case since the beginning of mixed jury trials instituted in 2009.
Court Chronology
District Court(Kagoshima) 2010/Dec/10Not Guilty
High Court Prosecution abandons appeal after death of the defendant.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Shiratori
白鳥
1952年01月21日
Hokkaido
Sapporo
Kuniji Murakami
1952年10月01日
Murder
Summary
An enormously important case, the first instance of a confirmed guilty verdict being overturned in postwar Japanese history.
Court Chronology
District Court 1957年05月07日 Life Imprisonment
High Court 1960年05月31日 20 years
Supreme Court 1963/10/17 Confirmed
Later Actions
Retrial Request is Filed
1975Decision is overturned: not guilty.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Soka
草加
1985年07月19日
6 Youths aged 13-15
Murder ・Rape
~~~
Yes
Summary
In July of 1985, a young woman was found dead and raped. Police arrested and extracted confessions from six youths aged between 13 and 15. Despite contradictions among the confessions, and the absence ofDNA materials among the suspects, all were sent to juvenile correction facilities.
Court Chronology
District Court 1985年09月06日 Sent to reform school. (Family Court)
High Court 1986年06月16日 Appeal is rejected.
Supreme Court 1989/07/20 Further appeal is rejected.
The Court refused to rule because the boys had already been released.
Later Actions
The victims parents brought a civil suit and were turned down by the Urawa District Court. The Tokyo District Court reversed, and awarded damages. The Supreme Court disagreed and remanded to the high court which did an about face and quashed the suit.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Suita city, Osaka pref.
2016年10月03日
Narasaki Junji (?) (aged 32)
楢崎淳二
Injury resulting in death.
Summary
A father was charged with killing his one month old baby.
Court Chronology
District Court 2018年11月20日Not Guilty
High Court2018年03月13日Not Guilty.Later:Prosecution is abandoned.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Sunagawa
1957 Sep
7 defendants
Trespassing
Summary
1955: Riots occur to prevent the enlargement of a US base. Nearly 1000 people are injured, 23 are arrested, 7 are prosecuted. In 1959, Tokyo District Court Judge Dahte rules the bases violate the constitution. After direct appeal to the Supreme Court,the US ambassador secretly negotiated with various ministries and the Supreme Court. The decision was overturned and the defendant’s were found guilty.
Court Chronology
District Court 1959/March Not guilty
Supreme Court1959/December. The decision is overturned and remanded.
Later Actions
1960 Jan: US-Japan Security treaty is signed.
1960 JunUS-Japan Security treaty is ratified by the Diet.
1961 March Defendants are found guilty and fined 2000 yen.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Suzuka
Suzuka city/ Aichi prefecture.
2012年11月13日
2012年11月14日
KatoEiji
~~~~~~~~~
Nagano Prison
Murder
~~~~~~~
No
Summary
Kato was charged with murdering his business partner.
Court Chronology
District Court 2015年07月24日Guilty 17 years.
High Court 2016年12月19日Confirmed
Supreme Court2018年07月04日Confirmed.
Later Actions
Retrial Filed June 30, 2022.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Three activists passed out leaflets at a Self-Defense forces housing complex protesting the use of Self Defense forces in Iraq . 41 days later, they were arrested . Despite the triviality of the charge, the defendants were confined for 75 days.
Court Chronology
District Court 2004年12月16日 Not guilty
High Court 2005年12月09日 Decision reversed: guilty.
Defendants were fined: 100,000 yen (x2) and200,000 yen(x1).
Supreme CourtUpheld
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Taiwan Yacht Drug Smuggling Case
Okinawa
2016/May
Taiwanese woman age 34 (F)
(name not published)
Drug Smuggling
Summary
A yacht from Taiwan, anchored in Okinawa, was found to have 597 kilograms of meta-amphetamines-one of the largest drug finds in history. Of the six people aboard-3 men and 3 women, two of the men were found guilty and sentenced to terms of 12 and 10 years. One of the woman was charged in a separate mixed jury trial. She was found innocent.
Court Chronology
District Court Naha2018年03月08日 Not guilty.
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Takaishi Primary School
高石小学校
Obscenity
Summary
The defendant, an elderly retired gentleman, who drove the school bus, was accused of molesting an eight year old girl. The girl's story, full of inconsistencies, was accepted by the court
Court Chronology
District Court: Guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Takeuchi, 48, had been indicted on suspicion of molesting a 10-year-old girl while teaching table tennis at a primary school in April 2002.
Court Chronology
District Court2003/MarchGuilty
High Court2004/June Not Guilty
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Takeuchi won damages against the government for prosecutorial malfeasance against his wife.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
AKA: Toyokawa Case
AKA: Mito Child Drowning Case
2002年07月28日
2003年04月15日
Tanabe Masaki
aka (Kawase Masaki).
b. 1972
Currently incarcerated in the Oita prison.
Kidnapping and Murder of a 22 month old boy
~~~~
Yes
Summary
Prosecutors allege that Tanabe became angered by a boy's crying while trying to sleep in his minivan in Toyokawa city, Aichi prefecture. He then reacted violently, and abducted, transported, and hurled the boy into the sea from a pier in Mito city. In the absence of any material evidence, the district court found the confession unreliable and declared Tanabe not guilty. The high court overturned and issued a sentence of 17 years.
This case is one of 12 endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
2006年01月25日Not Guilty. Nagoya District Court
2007年07月06日Verdict is overturned. Sentence 17 years.Nagoya High Court
2008年09月30日Confirmed.Supreme Court
Later Actions
First Appeal for Retrial:
2016年07月05日 Retrial filed. Nagoya High Court
2016The Nichibenren's Human Right's Protection Committee forms a task force in support of the case.
2019年01月25日 Retrial is rejected. Nagoya High Court (Criminal Division #1)
2019年01月28日 Objection filed. Nagoya High Court (Criminal Division #2)
Currently under review by the Nagoya High Court (Criminal Division #2)
~~~~~
2022/Aug/20Tanabe is released from prison after serving out term.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(Family /First)
F = female
Charges
~~~~
Taki
Tokyo
1950/May/20
1951/Jan
Taki Junnosuke
滝淳之助
Time Incarcerated=
30 years
19 Charges:
murder +robberies
Summary
Defendant was charged and confessed to 19 different crimes the most severe being murder/robbery.
Court Chronology
1953/Jun/13
District Court
Tokyo
Life Imprisonment x1
5 years labor x2
1953年09月10日
High Court
Confirmed
None
Supreme Court
Defendant did not appeal.
Later Actions
1964 January 31Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) launches
a special committee to investigate the case.
Retrials
1980年10月16日 Tokyo High Court hears prosecution's protest over retrial.
1981/Mar/27
District Court
Not Guilty
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tatsuno
辰野
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Takamatsu
Tanaka
田中将敬
Robbery, battery
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1988年6月13日 7 years imprisonment
High Court 1993年4月22日 Defense's appeal is rejected.
Supreme Court 1994/4/12 Appeal is rejected. Sentence is confirmed.
Later Actions
Defendant dies during preparation for retrial
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tenri city, Nara Pref.
2016年12月19日
2018年12月25日
Note: over two years elapsed from incident to time of arrest.
Takigawa Naoya 奈緒哉
age 24
Fatal Child Abuse
~~~~
Conflicting statements given.
Summary
The defendant was charged with fatally abusing his 5 month old daughter.
Court Chronology
District Court2017年12月21日 Not guilty. Mixed jury verdict.
High Court
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tokyo
1948年01月26日
1948年01月26日
Hirasawa Sadamichi
Murder, Robbery
~~~
Yes, after 34 days of interrogation.
Summary
12 people died in a bank drinking medicine which was laced with poison. Investigators quickly surmised that the perpetrator had a deep knowledge of poisons and chemistry, probably a former member of the 731 Brigade. When the investigation failed to progress, they arrested a 56 year old tempera painter with no knowledge of chemistry.
Court Chronology
District Court 1950年07月24日Death
High Court 1951年09月29日 Death
Supreme Court 1955年04月26日 Confirmed
Later Actions
1987年05月10日 Hirasawa dies in prison.Aged 95
2003:20th appeal for retrial filed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Hamada Case
3 Insurance Fraud Cases
Hamada Takeshige
Murder Insurance Fraud
~~~
Admits one of the cases.
Summary
The defendant denies two of the three cases. This invalidates the death sentence.
Court Chronology
District Court1982年03月29日Death Fukuoka
High Court1984年06月17日 Death Fukuoka
Supreme Court1988年03月08日 Death
Later Actions
2000/06 Fourth Appeal for Retrial filed.
Hamada is currently on death row in Fukuoka.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
栃木小1女児殺害事件
Imaichi city, Tochigi.
2005年12月01日
~~~~~
2014年06月03日
(Note: 8.5 years later.)
Katsumata Takuya
Murder of a child
~~~~~~~
Yes.
Summary
In December, 2005, a first grade female elementary student was murdered. The case went cold. Some 8+ years later, the defendant was pretextually arrested for selling fake brand items. He was coerced into confessing to the murder. Most of the confession was taped and played before a mixed jury. This case has no other tangible evidence.
Court Chronology
District Court (Utsunomiya) 2016年04月08日Life Imprisonment.
High Court (Tokyo) 2018年08月03日 Life Imprisonment.
Supreme Court 2020年03月06日Confirmed.
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tokuda
徳田
Tokuda
Murder Arson +
other charges
Summary
Court Chronology
District CourtLife Imprisonment
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tokumoto
徳本
Three defendants
Two are tried in absentia
Auto Theft
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1968 7 Years Kobe
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Brazilian Roberto Tokunaga was tried for causing excessive injury resulting in death to his 3 year old daughter. The prosecution appealed and Tokunaga was reincarcerated on 2001年10月17日 at the start of his second trial. (Reincareration is mostly applied to foreigners)
Court Chronology
District Court2001年05月24日 Not Guilty (Nagano District Court)
High Court2002年07月08日Guilty 5 years.(Tokyo High Court)
Supreme Court2002/11/25 Confirmed
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tokushima Radio
徳島ラジオ商殺し事件
Tokushima city
1953/Nov/05
Fuji Shigeko(F)
Murder
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1956/Apr/18Sentenced to 13 years.
High Court1956/Apr/18 Confirmed
Supreme Court1958/May/12 Sentence is confirmed.
Later Actions
1959 First Appeal for retrial is filed
Second Appeal for retrial is filed
1959 Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) launches a special committee to investigate the case.
1962 Third Appeal for retrial is filed
1966 Defendant is provisionally released.
1968 Fourth Appeal for retrial is filed.
1978 Fifth Appeal for retrial is filed.
1979 Fuji passes away.
1980 Sixth Appeal for retrial is accepted
1983 Retrial begins.
1985 Six years after her death, defendant is found not guilty.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tomiyama
富山
1974年10月03日
1975
Tomiyama Yasunobu
Murder
Summary
A death occurred in a fight among leftist political groups (chukaku-ha vs kakumaru-ha). At trial, five eyewitnesses testified. The district court found the testimony faulty and unreliable.
Court Chronology
District Court 1981年03月05日Not guilty
High Court1985年06月26日Guilty10 years.
Supreme Court1987/11/10Sentence is confirmed.
Later Actions
1994年06月20日 Request for retrial is filed.
1995年12月19日 Released from prison
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Himi Toyama Rape Case
Himi 氷見city, Toyama
2002/March~April
Yanagihara Hiroshi
柳原 浩
(age 34 at the time)
Rape
~~~~
Yes.
Summary
Yanagihara was charged with raping a 16 year old girl twice over a period of two months. He served two years in prison. The real culprit later came forward and confessed.
Court Chronology
District Court2002年11月27日3 years. (Toyama)
High Court Abandons appeal
Released:2005 January
2006 Nov: Real culprit confesses to multiple rapes including this one.
2007年10月10日 Yanagihara declared not guilty in retrial. (Prosecution requested decision of not guilty.)
2009年05月14日Files civil suit seeking redress.
2015/AprilCourt orders compensation of 19,660,00 yen (190,000ドル).
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Toyohashi Family Murder Case
豊橋一家3人殺し事件
Aichi
1970年05月15日
1970年08月28日
Murder, Arson, Robbery and Rape
~~~~~~~~~~
Yes
Summary
A mother was raped and murdered, and her two children perished in a blaze. A 21 year old man was arrested and charged, and the prosecution asked for death. He was declared not guilty. The case was never solved.
Court Chronology
District Court1974年06月12日Not Guilty (Confirmed)
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Tsuchiura Multiple Murder Case
Ibaraki
2004年11月24日
2004年11月25日
Ijima Masaru
飯嶋勝
b. 1985
Murder x 3.
~~~~
Yes
Summary
Charged with the murder of his parents and an older sister, the district court found that defendant suffered from schizophrenia. He was declared not guilty by reason of diminished responsibility 心神耗弱. The high court reversed and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Confirmed by the Supreme Court
Court Chronology
District Court (Mito) 2008年06月27日 /March Not GuiltyProsecution demanded death.
High Court (Tokyo)2009年09月16日Guilty.Sentenced to life imprisonment
Supreme Court2012年02月06日Confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
鶴見事件
Yokohama city
1988 June 20
1988 June 30
Takahashi Kazutoshi
高橋和利
Age 54 at time of crime
Deceased：October 8, 2021
Aged87
Robbery & Murder.
Admits the robbery, denies the murder.
~~~~~
Yes
~~~~~~
Summary
After arriving for an appointment at a real estate office, Takahashi finds two dead bodies. He does not inform the police, and leaves with a bag of cash(90,000ドル) .He is apprehended, and using the theft as a pretext, police extract a confession to murder. Though the contents of the confession, i.e., the murder tool, the escape route, and other statements conflict with the facts, the court issued a death sentence based on circumstantial evidence.
This case has been endorsed by the Japan Federation
of Bar Associations as a proven miscarriage of justice.
( See the list )
Court Chronology
District Court1995年09月07日Death (Yokohama)
High Court2002年10月30日Confirmed (Tokyo)
Supreme Court2006年03月28日 Confirmed
Later Actions
First Appeal for Retrial:
2006年06月14日First Retrial filed. Yokohama DC
2012年04月13日 Retrial rejected. Yokohama DC
2012年04月19日 Immediate complaint filed with Tokyo HC
2017年08月25日 Japan Federation of Bar Associations grants support. Support Committee is formed.
Second Appeal for Retrial:
2017年12月27日First retrial is withdrawn. (Same day) Second petition for retrial is filed.
Current status: Petition is being deliberated by the Number 2 Criminal Division of the Yokohama District Court.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Nurse Ueda Case
Fukuoka
July 2007
Ueda Satomi (F)
Professional Negligence
Summary
Nurse Ueda was charged with cutting toenails of dementia patients too short, and causing them to bleed. She was incarcerated for 102 days.
Court Chronology
District Court2009/March Guilty (six months in prison suspended for three years)
High Court 2010年09月16日Not Guilty
Supreme Court
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Umeda
梅田
~~~~~
1950/Oct/10
1954/Jul/7
Hokkaido
Kitami City
Umeda Yoshimitsu
Exonerated
Time Served: 17 years
Murder, Robbery
~~~~~~~
Yes to police.
Denied the confession in court
Summary
A forestry official was robbed and murdered. 2 years later, Umeda was arrested
Court Chronology
District Court1954/Jul/07Life Imprisonment
High Court1957年7月7日Confirmed
Supreme Court1957年11月14日
Later Actions
1964/Jan/31Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) launches a special committee to investigate the case.
1971/05 Paroled
1982年12月20日Retrial granted.
1986年08月27日Not Guilty
2007年06月20日 Umeda dies.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Urayasu
浦安
２００４／Feb
K (Prefers not to have name published).
Molestation x 2
Summary
The defendant, a teacher at a school for the mentally challenged, was charged with molesting two of the students.
Court Chronology
District CourtNot Guilty
High Court Not Guilty
Supreme Court
Later Actions
The parents of the two children brought civil suit against Saitama prefecture and Urayasu city seeking 20,000,000 in damages. Despite the decisions of not guilty, the courts awarded 600,000 yen. The case is being appealed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Utano Hospital Poisoning Case
Kyoto city
1998年10月28日
1999年03月07日
Ishida Hiroshi M.D
age 43.
Poisoning 7 colleagues
~~~~
Yes.
Innocence Overturned: 逆転有罪
Summary
Originally declared not guilty, the high court sentenced Ishida to 16 months in prison for putting sodium azide, a dangerous chemical, into a heated thermos in the hospital’s staff room.
Court Chronology
District Court: 2003年02月28日 Not Guilty(Confession was deemed coerced).
High Court: 2006年09月07日Remanded to district court for retrial.
District Court: Guilt:16 months imprisonment.
High Court:2009年05月15日 Confirmed.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Utsunomiya Assault & Robbery
Withheld (Defendant is Mentally Disabled)
Assault, Robbery
~~~~~
Yes
Summary
A 53 year old mentally disabled man pleaded guilty to assaulting two junior high school girls, robbing a confectioner of 130,000 yen, andlater robbing a supermarket employee of 6,000 yen.
Court Chronology
District Court After demanding a seven year term, prosecutors drop charges after another man confesses to the crime.
Later Actions
2006/03 Bar Association issues warning to authorities over the case
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Summary
Charges: stealing a personal signature stamp from an acquaintance's house and later withdrawing 500,000 yen from a bank account.
Court Chronology
District CourtSessions conclude in Dec. 1999. Four days before the decision is to be issued in Feb, 2000,the prosecution asks for a decision of not guilty after the real culprit is apprehended.
Later Actions
2002/JuneFiles state redress suit seeking 10 million yen (90,000ドル) in damages
2006年01月18日Matsuyama D.C. rejects state redress suit.
2008年04月25日Takamatsu H.C.Brokers a settlement for 6 million yen(50,000ドル) in compensation.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yakai
八海
1951年1月24日
4 people
Murder, Robbery
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court1952年06月02日One defendant sentenced to death, three to life
imprisonment.
High Court 1953年9月18日Defendant's appeal is rejected
Supreme Court 1957/10/5 Overturns the decisions and orders retrial in high court.
Later Actions
1959High Court: Not Guilty
1962Supreme Court: Not Guilty decision is overturned. Remanded to the High Court
1965High Court: Guilty
1968Supreme Court: Not Guilty
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yamakawa
or Deza
(友部)友部小学校女教デザ
(デザイナー殺人事件 / 山川事件）
1965年01月13日
Yamakawa Shinya
Murder, Kidnapping
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1966年02月28日 Death
High Court 1968年12月19日 Death
Supreme Court 1971年05月11日 Death
Later Actions
1975年03月04日 Appeal for Retrial
1977年05月21日 Defendant commits suicide awaiting retrial.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yamamoto
山本
1928年11月24日
Yamamoto Hisao
Murder
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1930年01月24日 Life Imprisonment
High Court1930年12月26日 Life Imprisonment
Supreme Court1931年04月08日 Confirmed
Later Actions
1945/NovParoled
1952/April Sentence commuted to 20 years.
1983年09月09日 Files Second Request for Retrial
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yamanaka
山中
1972年07月26日
Yamanaka
山中
Murder
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court 1975年10月27日 Death
High Court 1982年01月19日 Death
Supreme Court1989年06月22日 Remanded to High Court
Later Actions
Decision Overturned: Not Guilty.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yamasaki Hit and Run
山崎ひき逃げ
DOI 1986年06月17日
DOA 1998年09月30日
Yamasaki Kunio
Professional Negligence resulting in death.
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court In deliberation
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yamashita
山下
1984年03月22日
Yamashita Akira
Murder
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yakuza Chief Case
Nagoya
百瀬雅樹
Momose Masaki
Possession of an illegal handgun
Summary
Defendant claimed that another gang member brought a handgun and bullets into the home of his ex-wife. The district court agreed and the high court reversed, claiming that the gang member was a subordinate of the defendant.
Court Chronology
District Court (Nagoya) 2018/March 14 Not Guilty - Mixed Jury Verdict
High Court(Nagoya) 2018/September 5Guilty Sentenced to 5.5 years.
(Prosecution asked for 8 years)
Supreme Court Not decided.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
横浜
1943
Kanagawa
About 30 defendants, four of whom died of torture in prison.
Violating the wartime peace preservation law
~~~
Yes, after torture.
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court1945/August=September
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
1986~2002: four requests for retrial made.
2003-last remaining defendant passes away.
2003/April. Yokohama DC accepts request for retrial. Prosecution protests.
2005/March Tokyo HC upholds Yokohama DC decision.
2006年02月09日 Yokohama DC issues decision of "menso(免訴)" non-prosecution.
Defense appeals to the high court.
2007年01月19日 Tokyo HC: Appeal is rejected.
2008年03月14日Supreme Court: Rejection is confirmed.
2010年02月04日Civil Suit: 4 descendants of former defendants are awarded 47 million yen (500,000ドル) in compensation.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yonago Love Hotel Robbery Murder Case.
米子のホテル支配人
強殺事件
Yonago City, Tottori
2009年09月29日
2014年02月26日 Note: 4½ years after the crime.
Ishida Yoshimi
石田美実
b. 1957
age 52 at time of crime
Murder and Robbery.
Summary
Ishida was accused of robbing and murdering his employer, the director of a love hotel. He never recovered consciousness and died six years later. The major evidence-Ishida, was found in possession of 230 x 1000 yen (10ドル) notes.
Case Chronology
2015年09月29日 Hotel owner dies. Charges are raised to include murder.
District Court2016年07月01日 Guilty-sentenced to 18 years
High Court2017年03月27日Not guilty.
Supreme Court2018年07月13日Overturns high court finding of not guilty, remands the case forfurther trial. Note: first instance of a reversal of a mixed jury guilty decision to be overturned by the Supreme Court (23 cases in all-as of Sept. 2020.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remand Chronology
High Court 2019年01月24日Remands case to district court.
District Court 2020年11月30日 Guilty: sentenced to life imprisonment. (Tottori DC ).
Current Status: High court appeal is now in process.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yoneya
米谷
1952/Feb/25
Yoneya
Murder, Rape
Summary
The defendant was charged with the rape and murder of an elderly woman.
Court Chronology
District Court1952/Dec/5 Guilty 10 years.
High Court1953/Aug/22Appeal is denied
Supreme Court1953年08月22日Confirmed
Later Actions
1966 Real criminal comes forward and confesses.
1967/Mar/18 Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) launches a special committee to investigate the case.
1968 Real criminal is found innocent.
1976/Oct/30Retrial begins.
1978/Jul/31Not Guilty. (Aomori D.C.)
State Redress Suit (Civil Court)
1984/06 TokyoD. C. Denied.
1988/04 Tokyo H. C. Denied.
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yoshida
吉田石松老王事件
1913年08月13日
YOSHIDA Ishimatsu
b. 1879
Murder, Robbery
~~~~~~~~
Yes
Summary
The owner of a small silk shop was robbed and murdered in Nagoya. The two actual suspects (ages 22 and 26) fingered Yoshida (age 34) as the principal criminal. Yoshida was tortured and confessed.
Court Chronology
District Court: 1913/Aug/13Actual suspects: life imprisonment. Yoshida: death.
High Court: 1914/Jul/31Yoshida's sentence is reduced to life.
Supreme Court:1914/Nov/04Confirms all sentences.
Later Actions
1930: Two actual perpetrators are paroled.
1935: Yoshida is paroled. (Very unusual without an admission of guilt.)
1936: Actual perpetrators admit to framing Yoshida. Tokyo Shinbun (Newspaper) runs article entitled "A Contemporary Count of Monte Cristo" ( 今様巖窟王 Imayou Gankutsu Oh )
1958: 4th petition for retrial is denied. Yoshida seeks help of Abe Haruo-a prosecutor in the Ministry of Justice. Abe is sympathetic and directs Ishimatsu to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren).
1959: Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) launches a special committee to investigate the case. The Parliament also takes notice.
1960: Nagoya High Court grants retrial. Prosecution protests the act as illegal.
1962年12月06日: Supreme Court affirms the Nagoya High Court ruling and grants a retrial.
1963年02月08日: Nagoya H.C issues a verdict of 'not guilty' Nearly 50 years later.
Of Interest:
The decision in the retrial case was broadcast live on t.v.-a rarity.The court awarded payment of 3,155,000 yen for 21 years, 7 months and 7 days (7889 days x 400 yen/day) of wrongful incarceration. It also made reference to "The Count of Monte Cristo" in it’s decision.
1963年12月01日 Ishimatsu passes away. His tombstone reads "The God of Human Rights Sleeps Here(人権の神ここに眠る)."
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yura
由良
Hyogo
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
綾瀬母子強盗殺人事件
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
高隅事件
（鹿児島夫婦殺し事件)
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
市原両親殺害事件
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
浅虫
青森浅虫温泉放火事件
Aomori
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
湯河（湯河原放火事件）
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
八丈
八丈島事件
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(FamilyFirst)
F=female
Charges
~~~~
Confessed?
Yamagata Meirin Middle
School
1993
Seven defendants--name withheld because all are minors.
Murder and Robbery
Summary
The accused were found guilty of wrapping a student in a large gym mat which resulted which caused death. Found guilty in the criminal courts, they were absolved of guilt in a civil trial.
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
http://www.jiadep.org/
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(Family /First)
F = female
Charges
~~~~
Yokota Base Bombing Case
Tokyo
2013
2016
Numata Toyotsune
沼田豊綱
Age 62 at time of incident
Manufacture and firing of bombs.
Summary
Bombs were fired at the US Yokota airbase in 2013. Numata, suspected of being a member of a leftist political group, was arrested and charged. The prosecution asked for 30 years. The court found that "though his participation is suspect, his connection to the group is not understood, and evidence is lacking."
NOTE: This is believed to be the second highest case-in terms of sentence severity- of a not guilty verdict handed down under the mixed jury system.
Court Chronology
2020年12月18日
District Court
Not Guilty
High Court
Supreme Court
Retrials
The following is intentionally left blank
Case Name
Location
Date of Incident
Date of Arrest
Defendant's Name(s)
(Family /First)
F = female
Charges
~~~~
Summary
Court Chronology
District Court
High Court
Supreme Court
Later Actions
1964 January 31Japan Federation of Bar Associations (Nichibenren) launches
a special committee to investigate the case.
Retrials
District Court
()