News On Japan

Retrial starts for Hakamada Iwao over 1966 murder case in central Japan

TOKYO, Oct 27 (NHK) - A district court in central Japan has begun the retrial of an 87-year-old man convicted of killing a family of four in 1966.

The Shizuoka District Court began a hearing on Friday for Hakamada Iwao, more than 40 years after his death sentence was finalized.

The court allowed Hakamada to skip the session, judging him incapable of communicating due to his mental state. His 90-year-old sister Hideko entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf.

Hideko said her brother proclaimed his innocence when he first went to trial in 1966, and has since gone through various setbacks and hardships over 57 years. She pleaded with the court to give her brother "true freedom."

The main point of contention involves blood-stained clothes allegedly worn by Hakamada. They were found in a tank of fermented soybean paste more than one year after he was arrested.

The Tokyo High Court that ordered the retrial in March said there were reasonable doubts with the original ruling that Hakamada wore the clothes at the time of the crime. The court went as far as to say that investigators may have planted the clothes in the tank. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A deepening labor shortage in Japan’s construction industry is beginning to impact homebuyers, with some experiencing delays of more than six months before construction can even begin due to a lack of available carpenters.

From April 1st, a new regulation took effect across Osaka Prefecture requiring all restaurants with a customer seating area larger than 30 square meters to become entirely smoke-free indoors—unless they install a designated smoking room. Establishments violating the rule face fines of up to 50,000 yen, while customers may be fined up to 30,000 yen.

The Imperial Household Agency launched an official YouTube channel on April 1st to introduce the activities of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

Japan's new fiscal year began on April 1st, with companies across the country holding entrance ceremonies to welcome new employees.

The Japanese government has released an updated damage forecast for a potential Nankai Trough megaquake, estimating that up to 298,000 people could die in the worst-case scenario. This projection reflects a slight reduction from the previous estimate of 332,000 deaths made 13 years ago.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

In response to a sharp rise in women soliciting prostitution on the streets of Osaka's Kita entertainment district, police and local authorities implemented countermeasures last year. But how effective have those measures been?

As Japan marks 80 years since the end of World War II, Angelita Oshiro, an 86-year-old second-generation Japanese woman living in Davao on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, was finally granted the restoration of her long-awaited Japanese citizenship on April 2nd.

Cherry blossoms are now in full bloom. On April 2nd, crowds gathered along the Okawa River in Osaka to enjoy the hanami season. While spring typically lifts spirits, this year’s celebrations come with a pinch.While moods may be rising, so are prices.

A fire broke out on the morning of April 2nd at a farm in Kamishihoro, a town in the Tokachi region of Hokkaido, killing approximately 20 cattle housed in a barn.

A special unit dedicated to investigating "lone offenders"—individuals who commit acts of terrorism without belonging to any specific organization—has been established for the first time in Japan within the Public Security Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

The Imperial Household Agency launched an official YouTube channel on April 1st to introduce the activities of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

Downtown, the popular comedy duo, has stepped down as official ambassadors for the Osaka-Kansai Expo, according to an announcement by the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition.

A tour bus carrying over 20 foreign tourists collided with a van inside the Tokiwa Tunnel on the Dōō Expressway on March 31st, sending several people to the hospital.