Japan: Justice for Hakamada Iwao

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In March this year, Hakamada Iwao turned 76. He has spent over four decades in detention awaiting execution for a crime he claims he did not commit.

Update 17 April 2012: DNA results

According to Hakamada’s lawyers the results of forensic tests disclosed on 13 April showed no match between Hakamada’s DNA and samples taken from clothing he is alleged by the prosecution to have worn at the time of the crime. An expert for the prosecution told the media that they have been unable to determine a match so far.

Hakamada’s lawyers believe these results cast doubt on Hakamada’s original conviction as they undermine crucial evidence linking him to the murders.
The District Court continue to consider the appeal and we will keep you updated when we know more.

Please keep writing to Japan's Justice Minister and keep the pressure on for him to grant justice to Hakamada.

44 years on death row

Believed to be the world's longest-serving death row inmate, Hakamada was tried and sentenced to death in 1968 for the deaths of four people. His conviction rested principally on the basis of a confession which he later retracted at trial. He says he was beaten and forced to confess after 20 days of intensive interrogation. One of the three judges on his case has publicly stated that he believes Hakamada is innocent, but was outvoted by the other judges at the trial.

Endless torment

Executions in Japan are carried out in secret and without warning to the prisoner of family so Hakamada does not know from one day to the next when he will be executed. Psychiatric examinations have shown that Hakamada has a mental illness as a result of the many years he has spent on death row, many or which have been in solitary confinement.

Japan resumes executions

2011 was the first year in two decades in which Japan did not carry out any executions. We were horrified that on 29 March 2012, Justice Minister Toshio Ogawa consented for three prisoners to be executed by hanging.

It is important now more than ever to continue taking action and demand justice for Hakamada. Read more about our campaign for Hakamada

Use the form below to write to Japan's Minister of Justice, Toshio Ogawa, and call for Hakamada's execution to be stayed.