Japan Court Orders Record $1.44 Million Compensation to Wrongly Convicted Man
A Japanese court has awarded 217 million yen (over $1.44 million) in compensation to Hakamada Iwao, who spent nearly 50 years on death row for a crime he did not commit.
Hakamada was convicted in 1966 for the murder of a family of four in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. However, he was granted a retrial in 2014 amid suspicions that investigators had fabricated evidence. He was acquitted last year.
The Shizuoka District Court’s decision on Monday marks the largest-ever payout for a wrongful conviction in Japan. Hakamada’s defense team welcomed the ruling but emphasized that no amount of money can fully compensate for the hardship he endured.
The defense team plans to file for additional damages from the state and Shizuoka Prefecture, citing the acquittal ruling’s acknowledgment of evidence fabrication and inhumane interrogations.
In contrast, the Shizuoka District Public Prosecutors Office argued that the recognition of evidence fabrication should not be considered in deciding the compensation amount, citing inconsistencies in the acquittal ruling. However, the court rejected this argument, stating that the prosecutors lacked specific and persuasive grounds for denying the fabrication.
