News On Japan

Retrial in Hakamada Case: Prosecutors Re-seek Death Penalty

SHIZUOKA, May 22 (News On Japan) - Prosecutors have once again demanded the death penalty in the retrial of the so-called Hakamada Case, which is being held at the Shizuoka District Court.

Iwao Hakamada, 88, was convicted and sentenced to death in 1966 for allegedly murdering four members of a miso company executive's family in the former city of Shimizu.

In this retrial, both the prosecution and the defense have been debating the color of the bloodstains on five pieces of clothing said to have been worn by Hakamada during the crime.

On May 22, during the 15th session of the retrial at the Shizuoka District Court, prosecutors reiterated their demand for the death penalty.

Following this, the defense delivered their final arguments, and Hakamada's sister, Hideko, provided her statement, concluding all hearings and bringing the trial to a close.

Source: ANN

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A roaming monkey sparked a wild goose chase on Wednesday in a residential area of Tokyo, running amok in local vegetable patches while evading capture by police and residents.

Three bodies have been discovered near the crater of Mount Fuji, with all individuals confirmed deceased.

Countries are struggling to find contractors to complete the construction of complex pavilions before the opening ceremony of the Osaka-Kansai Expo on April 12 next year, while some participants feel uneasy about the potential for methane gas accidents.

The Emperor and Empress of Japan, on an official visit to the United Kingdom, departed Buckingham Palace by car after attending a luncheon.

A 26-year-old nursery teacher has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a child at a daycare center in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, including forcefully pulling the child's hair.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

Rei Fukuoka, a 27-year-old popular YouTuber with blonde-tipped, braided hair, boasting 160,000 subscribers, has been arrested on suspicion of regularly assaulting a man with whom she lived, including pouring boiling water on his face, and attacking him with a hot frying pan.

Osaka Prefectural Police have sent a Chinese national to prosecutors for allegedly riding an electric suitcase on a sidewalk, marking the first such case in Japan.

The Emperor and Empress of Japan, on an official visit to the United Kingdom, departed Buckingham Palace by car after attending a luncheon.

Over 20 million yen in damages are suspected from a series of robbery incidents involving forced intoxication.

A dramatic rescue took place near JR Inari Station in Kyoto on June 23rd, captured by a motorcycle's dashcam. The footage shows a railroad crossing with the barrier down, and an elderly woman lying on the tracks.

According to the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai, a Japanese mother and her preschool child were attacked by a man believed to be Chinese while waiting at a bus stop in Suzhou on the afternoon of June 24.

In Hokkaido, where bear attacks on cattle have been frequent, stray dogs exhibit wolf-like behavior have now become a serious issue. On June 19, footage captured in Shunan, Yamaguchi Prefecture, showed a stray dog rushing out aggressively towards an already formed pack. This region has been plagued by the problem of stray dogs for around 20 years due to uncontrolled breeding.

The series 'Sonaeru,' which focuses on disaster preparedness, brings attention to an incident from July 2023 when record-breaking rainfall in Fukuoka Prefecture's Kurume City triggered a massive landslide in the Minoo Mountains, resulting in one fatality. This region faced a similar disaster 300 years ago, with historical documents offering clues on how to prepare for such unexpected events.