Japan Awaits Verdict On World's Longest-Serving Death Row Inmate

Japan's Shizuoka District Court will soon deliver its verdict on Iwao Hakamada, the world's longest-serving death row inmate. The ruling comes a decade after Hakamada was released from prison in 2014 pending a retrial of his murder conviction, AFP reported. Hakamada, now 88, may walk away a free man after spending 46 years and nearly six decades of legal turmoil.

A former professional boxer, Hakamada was convicted in 1968 for the murder of his boss, his boss's wife and their two children. The brutal killings took place in June 1966. The family was found stabbed to death before their home was set on fire. Hakamada, who worked at a soybean processing plant owned by the victim, was arrested and, following days of relentless police interrogation, confessed to the crime. He later recanted, claiming the confession was coerced through violence and threats.

Central to Hakamada's conviction was a set of blood-stained clothes found in a miso tank a year after the murders. Prosecutors argued the blood belonged to the victims, but defence lawyers claimed for years the evidence was fabricated by police to secure a conviction. The defence's argument gained traction in 2014 when a DNA test on the clothing found the blood did not match Hakamada or the victims, leading the court to grant a retrial.

Despite this, prosecutors have continued to argue that the evidence against Hakamada is sound and maintain that there is no doubt of his guilt. They remain convinced of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, said officials as per AFP, even as Hakamada's lawyers push for a full acquittal.

Human rights activists have long decried Japan's so-called "hostage justice" system, where suspects are subjected to long periods of detention and aggressive questioning, often leading to forced confessions.

For nearly half a century, Iwao Hakamada lived in solitary confinement, waiting for the hangman's noose. Japan, unlike many industrialised nations, still retains the death penalty. Executions are carried out by hanging, and inmates are notified only hours before their execution.

Hakamada's lengthy detention took a significant toll on his mental health. According to his lawyers, he often appears disoriented, living in what they describe as a "world of fantasy." 

His sister, Hideko Hakamada, who has campaigned tirelessly for his release, said her brother struggled to recognise reality. "We have not even discussed the trial with Iwao because of his inability to recognize reality," Ms Hideko, now 91, told AFP. "Sometimes he smiles happily, but that's when he's in his delusion."

Despite his mental state, Hakamada's brief taste of freedom over the past decade has provided some solace. According to Ms Hideko, small acts, such as taking care of two cats he adopted in February, have helped him reconnect with life outside prison walls. He also enjoys daily drives with his supporters, during which he indulges in his favourite pastries and juice.

Supporters of Hakamada gathered outside the court on Thursday with many holding banners and flags demanding his acquittal. 

"For so long, we have fought a battle that has felt endless," Hideko Hakamada said during a press conference earlier this year. "But this time, I believe it will be settled." 

Iwao Hakamada's legal team, led by Hideyo Ogawa, is hopeful that the court will deliver a not-guilty verdict, bringing an end to this decades-long ordeal. "We told prosecutors that the onus is on them to put an end to this 58-year-old case," Mr Ogawa told reporters. However, prosecutors remain adamant that the initial conviction was just and that Hakamada should face the death penalty.