Iwao Hakamada, a former boxer, was wrongfully convicted of a 1966 quadruple murder and spent over 40 years on death row before his acquittal in 2023. The court found that police had tampered with evidence and forced a confession through inhumane interrogation methods.
Legal Battle for Compensation
On Wednesday, Hakamada and his legal team filed a claim with the Shizuoka District Court, demanding over 200 million yen ($1.3 million) in compensation—the maximum allowed under Japan’s criminal compensation law. The law provides up to 12,500 yen ($81) per day of wrongful detention after acquittal.
However, his lawyer, Hideyo Ogawa, argues that this amount does not reflect the immense suffering Hakamada endured.
“He faced the worst form of physical confinement with the constant threat of execution. The compensation should help bring some peace to him and his sister Hideko,” Ogawa said.
Psychological Toll of Decades on Death Row
Hakamada’s prolonged isolation and fear of execution severely impacted his mental health. His lawyer previously described him as “living in a world of fantasy,” highlighting the long-term psychological damage.
A Landmark Case in Japan’s Legal History
Hakamada is only the fifth death row inmate in Japan’s post-war history to be granted a retrial. All previous cases resulted in exonerations, raising concerns about wrongful convictions in Japan’s judicial system.
Japan, along with the United States, is one of the few industrialized democracies that still enforces capital punishment. Despite growing concerns over wrongful convictions, public support for the death penalty remains high in the country.