JIADEP WRONGFUL ARREST AND CONVICTIONS DATA BASE
The following data base contains over 150 cases which are alleged, or have been proven, to be miscarriages of justice. They are arranged in alphabetical order. Please feel free to send corrections and additions.
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Chiba 2009/Nov |
安西喜久夫 Anzai Kikuo b. 1951 |
Smuggling of Stimulants (from Malaysia) |
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Summary Prosecutors demanded 12 Years imprisonment and 6 million yen ($75,000) fine from a company president who brought in a metal box containing drugs to be given to a third party as a souvenir. Court Chronology District Court 2010/June/23 Not Guilty High Court 2011/Mar/30 Guilty Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Ashibetsu Hokkaido 1952/07/29 |
Ijiri Masao |
Endangering train traffic/possession of explosives. |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1956/07/16 Sentenced to prison High Court 1963/12/20 Not Guilty Supreme Court |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Tochigi 1990/May 1991/Dec 2 |
Sugaya Toshikazu born 1947 Incarcerated for 17.5 years |
Murder & rape of a four year old girl |
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Summary In May of 1990, a deceased four year old girl's body was found along the bank of a river. She had been sexually molested. 19 months laters, faced with a lingering murder/molestation cold case, police extract a confession from the day care center's bus driver. Though the DNA evidence from the victim's underwear excludes Suga, the court weighs the confession and sentences him to like imprisonment. Court Chronology District Court 1993 Life Imprisonment Utsunomiya High Court 1997 " Tokyo Supreme Court 2000/07/17 Confirmed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Later Actions The Nichibenren's Human Right's Protection Committee forms a task force to reopen the case. 06/08/21-civil suit against the state's forensic witness opens. 08/02/13 Retrial Request Rejected (Utsunomiya DC). 09/June DNA evidence indicates Sugaya is not culprit-released from prison. 2009/October Exonerated 2011/January State pays 80,000,000 yen ($950,00) in compensation |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Miyazaki |
Yamamoto Itaru Aged 53 |
Coercing a criminal defendant to remain silent. |
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Summary Yamamoto is suspected of telling the client, who was indicted as a member of a billing-fraud ring, "Keep silent. Otherwise your family and friends may be in trouble." Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Tokyo |
Yasuda Yoshihiro |
Obstructing the return of financial assets to the government |
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Summary Yasuda, outspoken human rights attorney and anti-death penalty advocate, was leading the legal team defending the Aum Shinrikyo religous cult. . He was arrested for obstructing the transfer of funds from a failed real estate company to the state. His incarceration for 300 days has been severely criticized as political vindictiveness. Court Chronology District Court 2003/12/25 Not Guilty High Court 2008/04/23 Guilty Fined 500,000 yen ($5000) Supreme Court |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Baker Narita Airport April 2002 " |
Nicholas Baker (aged 32) British National |
Importation and possession of controlled substances |
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Summary Caught with 41,120 tablets of ecstasy and 990 grams of cocaine at Narita airport using a suitcase fitted with a false bottom, Baker swears he was duped by a companion who accompanied him to Japan. The companion was arrested in Belgium in May 2002 for a similar ruse, and has since died. Baker was placed in solitary confinement for10 months for refusing to confess. Note: The judge overseeing the case had not issued a decision of not guilty in ten years. Court Chronology District Court 2003/06/12 14 years High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Baker was returned to England to serve out the remainder of his sentence. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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1994 |
Beamon Terry American National |
Murder |
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Summary American Karate Instructor Terry Beamon and his wife Jewel Curtis, arrested in 2000, were charged with beating their 4 year old son to death in 1994. Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Not Guilty April 3, 2008. Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Sawyer, Robert Joffrey aged 54 |
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Summary Prosecutors demanded a sentence of 13 years and 7 million yen. Court Chronology District Court 2011/Jun/16 Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Narita Airport November 2008 " |
British National (F) |
Smuggling |
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Summary A 31 year old British Woman was charged with smuggling 1.4 kilograms of heroin from Malaysia Court Chronology District Court 2010/February Guilty 8 years and 4 million yen ( $50,000 fine.) High Court 2010/12/16 Not Guilty (Confirmed) Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Chan Ie Jun |
Murder of a Korean woman. |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Chiba University Salmonella Poisoning (千葉大学チフス菌事件) 1966/04/07 |
Suzuki age 42 |
Inadvertent poisonings with the Salmonella bacteria |
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Summary A doctor at Chiba University hospital was charged with infecting food and beverages with Salmonella bacteria. He confessed Chifusu is a Japanese rendering of typhi. Salmonella is the bacteria responsible for typhoid. Court Chronology District Court 1973/04/20 Not guilty Chiba DC High Court 1976/04/30 Guilty 6 years Supreme Court |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Daigyaku 大逆事件 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Endo Niigata 1975 |
Endo Yuichi |
Professional Negligence |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1982/09/03 6 months imprisonment suspended for two years High Court Affirmed Supreme Court 1989/04/21 Not guilty. Later Actions Endo brought suit seeking state redress for wrongful arrest. All three courts rejected his claim. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Hokkaido 2000/03/17 |
Okoshi Minako F (age 29) 大越美奈子 |
Murder |
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Summary The charred body of a 24 year old woman was found along a country road. Police claim to find the victim's locker key in the defendant's car's glove compartment. One week after undergoing six days of exhaustive and abusive voluntary questioning , the traumatized Okoshi checks into a hospital for psychological treatment. While hospitatlized, she files a suit against the police. One day after leaving the hospital, she is vengefully arrested and charged with murder. Court Chronology District Court 2003/03/26 Sapporo 16 years of labor. High Court 2005/09/29 Sapporo Affirmed. Supreme Court 2006/09/27 Confirmed. Later Actions Civil Suit 2007/01/23 Tokyo DC fines Publisher Shichosha 2.2 million yen ($22,000) and suspends publication of a book accusing defendant Okoshi of pyromania. 2007/10/18 Tokyo HC Overturns suspension and reduces fine to 1.1 million yen. SC confirms this decision on 09/03/03. Defendant currently housed at Sapporo Women’s Prison. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Enai Village 榎井村 1946/08/21 Kagawa |
Yoshida Osamu Arrested 46/08/28 |
Murder, other charges |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1947/12/24 Life Imprisonment High Court Supreme Court 1949/04/28 Confirmed Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Fujimoto 1952/07/07 |
Fujimoto Masuo |
Murder |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1953/08/29 Death High Court 1954/12/14 Death Supreme Court 1957/08/23 Confirmed. Later Actions 1962/09/13 3rd request for retrial denied (Kumamoto D. C.) 1962/09/14 Executed. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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布川 Ibaragi 1967/08/30 |
Sakurai Shoji (20) Arrested 67/10/10 Sugiyama Takao (20) Arrested 1967/10/16 |
Murder Robbery |
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Summary A 62 year old woman was found strangled in her home in the village of Fukawa located in Tonegawa-cho, Ibaragi-ken. After investigating well over a hundred people, police eliminated all but some ten or more from a list of suspects. At first, Sakurai was arrested for theft of a belt and a single pair of trousers. He denied the charges but five days later he confessed to the murdering the victim with Sugiyama as accomplice. Court Chronology District Court 70/10/06 Life Imprisonment High Court 73/12/20 Life Imprisonment Supreme Court 78/07/03 Confirmed Later Actions 83/12/23 Request for retrial requested 1996 Defendants are paroled 2005/09/21 Retrial Granted 2007/12/15 Supreme Court affirms retrial request. 2011/May/25 Exonerated! |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Fukui Female Middle School Killing 1986 Fukui |
Shoji Maekawa |
Murder (+other charges) |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 90/09/26 Not Guilty High Court 95/02/09 Not Guilty decision is overturned. Sentenced to 7 years. Supreme Court 97/11/12 Appeal Rejected. Sentence Confirmed Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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1947 |
Nishi Takeo Ishii Kenjiro |
murder, robbery |
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Summary After two clothes merchants were shot in downtown Fukuoka, seven men were arrested. Five were sentenced to various terms, Nishi and Ishii were sentenced to death. Ishi, a former soldier, admitted the shooting as self defense. Nishi was nowhere near the scene. Court Chronology District Court Death High Court Death Supreme Court Later Actions 75/06 Ishii's sentence is commuted to life imprisonment. Nishi is executed. 1989 Ishii is paroled. 2005 May. 30 years after Nishi's execution, appeal is filed. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Fukuoka Yakuza Case 2008 Fukuoka 2008/July |
Takada Shinichi b. 1963 Nakahara Yoshio b. 1965 |
Murder, Confinement, Battery |
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Summary In July of 2008, the body of Ito Takanori, aged 42, was found in a wooded area in Fukuoka. In a separate case, a defendant Nakahara Kazufumi, sentenced to 28 years, implicated the above two defendants as masterminds. (Kazufumi was the adopted son of Yoshio.) The court found the above defendants guilty of lesser crimes, (Tanaka-confinement and battery 5.5 years; Nakahara-confinement only 4 years), but tossed the charge of murder and the prosecution's demand for 30 years stating that Kazufumi's confession to police was unreliable. Court Chronology District Court (Fukuoka) 2011/06/29 Murder Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Fukuoka Bicycle Accident 2001 |
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Obscenity |
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Summary After colliding and falling off her bicycle, a high school girl claimed obscenity (molestation ) against a man in the accident. Court Chronology District Court Guilty High Court Guilty Supreme Court Currently under review. Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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1993 |
Sasaki Kei |
Murder Arson ~~~ Yes |
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Summary Arrested and then released, Sasaki was found liable in a civil suit, and then rearrested and charged. Court Chronology District Court 2003/Jun/01 Yokohama DC Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Futamata 二俣 50/01/07 |
Sudou Masao age18 須藤満雄 |
Murder Robbery |
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Summary After A family of four, including two young children, was murdered, police arrested 18 year old Sudou Masao. He confessed after being tortured but withdrew the confession at the trial. This is one of four egregious wrongful arrest cases which occurred in Shizuoka. See also Sachiura, Shimada, and Hakamada cases. Court Chronology District Court 1950/12/27 Death High Court 1951/9/29 Death Supreme Court 1953/11/27 Remanded to district court Later Actions 1956/9/20 Shizuoka District Court Not Guilty 57/12/26 Tokyo High Court Prosecution's appeal is rejected. Innocence is confirmed. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Geihinkan/Yokota Saiban 迎賓館・横田裁判 (aka: Bakutori 4 爆取人) 86/04/15 86/05/04 Tokyo |
Taketoshi Suga Hirofumi Sogame Hiroshi Itagaki* |
Manufacture and firing of explosives |
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Summary The three were arrested for manufacturing and launching mortar rounds at Yokota Air Base and the Tokyo State Guest House during a meeting of leaders of developed nations. Though a finding of guilty would result in a sentence of 8 years, the three were incarcerated from Nov 1987 until being freed on bail in December 2002, in excess of 15 years. Court Chronology District Court 04/03/26 Tokyo Not Guilty. Prosecution appeals. High Court 06/01/16 Trial opens and closes the same day. 06/05/19 Judge criticizes lower court decision, and remands the case. Supreme Court 2007/10/18 SC upholds HC decision. Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~~ Confessed |
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Gobanchou 五番 (京都五番町事件) 1955 |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~~ Confessed |
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Ten Males |
Battery, attempted rape ~~~~~ Yes, all ten. |
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Summary A 15 year old girl, as an excuse to meet a male acquaintance, informs her mother that she will be home late due to a train accident. When the mother discovers this is a hoax, the girl then says that she was raped. The next day, a report is filed with police, who ignore the claim. Over the next 3 months, ten youths are arrested, interrogated and confess. One yearinto the trial,the victim asserts that the Incident occured one week earlier than stated. Court Chronology Family Court: Four defendents are sent to reformatory, two others to miscellaneous treatments. District Court 05/Oct Guilty four boys are being tried in district court. High Court 06/12/13 Appeals case begins. (Tokyo HC) Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Gotsu 江津 1962/10/08 1962/11/08 |
Ushiro |
Murder, abandoning the corpse |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 66/02/01 Life Imprisonment High Court 71/01/28 Appeal is rejected. Supreme Court 73/09/25 Confirmed. Later Actions 76/02/14 Request for Retrial filed. 87/02/03 87/02/05 91/08/01 Ushiro dies. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Tokyo 97/03/19 |
Govinda Prasad Mainali Nepali citizen |
Murder, Robbery |
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Summary Nepali Govinda was arrested for the strangulation of a female executive of the Tokyo Power and Electic Company, a high profile case. Govinda admitted to having sex with the woman but denies the murder. The short span of eight months between District Court and High Court decisions was unduly abnormal for a Japanese court. Court Chronology District Court 00/04/14 Not Guilty High Court 00/12/22 Guilty Life Imprisonment Supreme Court 03/10/20 Sentence is confirmed.
Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~~ Confessed |
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袴田 66/06/30 Shizuoka Shimizu City |
Hakamada Iwao Arrested 66/08/18 (Currently on death row in the Tokyo Detention House) |
Murder x 4 Arson, Robbery ~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1968/09/11 Death Shizuoka District Court High Court 1976/05/18 Death Tokyo High Court Supreme Court 1980/11/29 Confirmed Later Actions 81/04/20 Request for Retrial is submitted 94/08/09 Request for Retrial is rejected 94/08/12 Protest lodged with High Court. 04/08/27 Protest is rejected. 04/08/27 Protest lodged with Supreme Court 05/12/07 Petition for Pardon to the Ministry of Justice Defendant Currently Housed at Tokyo Detention Center: Death Row |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Hanamaki 花巻事件 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Haneda 羽田 (羽田女高生殺人事件) |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~~ Confessed |
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晴山 Hokkaido, Tsukigata 1972/74 Arrested in 1974 |
Hiromoto Haruyama (32) |
Murder Rape x2 ~~~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Haruyama was arrested in 1974 for assaulting and injuring a 40-year-old woman in the Hokkaido town of Naie, Hokkaido Prefecture in May that year. He later confessed to raping and strangling a 19-year-old cooking school student in the town of Tsukigata, Hokkaido Prefecture, in May 1972 and a 19-year-old department-store worker in Sunagawa in August the same year. But during his first trial in the Sapporo District Court, Haruyama withdrew the confessions and denied having committed the crimes. Court Chronology District Court Death High Court Death Supreme Court Death Later Actions 1994/July/ Request for retrial filed 2003/Jan/Request for retrial rejected. 10 new pieces of evidence submitted by Haruyama's lawyers. Defendant Currently Housed at Currently on death row in Sapporo. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Hasaki 波崎 1963/08/26 |
Tomiyama Arrested 63/10/23 |
Murder |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1966/12/24 Death High Court 1973/07/06 Death Supreme Court 1976/04/01 Death sentenced confirmed Later Actions 1980 Retrial Requested 1984 Retrial Request is Rejected. Protest lodged. 1985 Protest Rejected 1987 Second Retrial Requested 2000 Second Retrial Request is rejected. Protest lodged. 2003 Defendant dies in incarceration, aged 86. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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2004 |
Hayashi Keiki (M.D) |
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Summary Charged with “internet-based sales of unlicensed drug” Court Chronology District Court 2004 guilty High Court 2005 Appeal Rejected. Supreme Court 2006 Appeal Rejected Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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東住吉 1995 Osaka |
Tatsuhiro Boku (M 29) Keiko Aoki (F 29) |
Murder, Arson , Insurance Fraud ~~~~~~ Yes. |
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Summary On July 22, 1995, a house fire killed the 11 year old daughter of the defendants. Because she was insured for15 million yen ($125,000), and since they were unmarried and living together--Japanese/ Korean common law marriage--the police surmised conspiracy, and violently extracted confessions to arson, murder and insurance fraud. Court Chronology District Court 1999/03/30 Boku: Life Imprisonment 1999/05/18 Aoki: Life Imprisonment High Court 2004/11/02 Aoki: Life Imprisonment 2004/12/20 Boku: Life Imprisonment Supreme Court 2006/10/27 Boku Appeal is rejected 2006/12/11 Aoki Appeal is rejected. Later Actions 2009/07/07 Boku files for retrial. Defendants Currently Housed at Aoki Wakayama Women's Prison Boku: Oita Prison |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Hikinoguchi 2004/03/24 |
Katagishi Mitsuko (F) b. 1948 |
Murder Arson ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary After a fire destroyed the home of an alcoholic infirm man, the police arrested his sisterupon noticing that she recently withdrew 2,000,000 yen from his savings account. The only evidence in this case is a witness with a lengthy crime history and a history of drug addiction who claims hearing a jailhouse confession. Court Chronology District Court Not Guilty: Arson and Murder. Guilty: withdrawing funds High Court Prosecution abandons arson and murder charges. Defendant appeals financial charge Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Islam Mohamed Himu |
Falsifying a notary registration and illegal employment of two employees. |
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Summary While he was held for 43 days, no charges were filed in the first case, and he was fined in the second case. He was villified in the media for close relations with al-Qaida. Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions 2006 The Tokyo District Court ordered Kyodo News on Thursday to pay 1.65 million yen in compensation |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~~ Confessed |
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Hinocho Shiga 1984/12/28 1987/12/29 |
Sakahara Hiroshi |
Murder / Robbery ~~~~~ Yes. |
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Summary Three years and one day after the robbery of a small bar and the murder of its elderly proprietess, police began questioning Sakahara, a former regular customer. Sakahara is mentally impaired and has never committed a crime. After three days of voluntary yet abusive police questioning, a confession was extracted. Court Chronology District Court 1995/06/30 Life Imprisonment High Court 1997/05/30 Life Imprisonment Supreme Court 2000/09/27 Confirmed Later Actions 06/03/27 Appeal for retrial is denied. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Hirosaki University 1949/08/26 Aomori |
Nasu (Takashi?) |
Murder |
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Summary The defendant was charged with murdering the wife of a university professor. Court Chronology District Court 1951/01/12 Not Guilty High Court 1952/05/31 Guilty 15 years. Supreme Court 1953/02/19 Appeal is rejected ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1963 Paroled 1971 Real culprit comes forward. 1974 Sendai High Court refuses retrial. 1976 Separate high court bench opens retrial 1977/02/15 Not Guilty Sendai High Court Later Actions 1963 Defendant is paroled. 1971 Real criminal comes forward. Retrial is requested 1974 Sendai High Court refuses retrial. 76/07/13 Same court agrees to retrial. 77/02/15 Not guilty State Redress Suit (Civil Court) 81/04 Aomori Plaintiff (Nasu) wins partial victory. Sendai H. C. 86/11 Overturned, redress denied. Supreme Court 90/07 Appeal rejected. Redress denied. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~~ Confessed |
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Hiroshima Port Ferry Officer Hiroshima 1993/12/20 |
二間高男 |
Murder, robbery ~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 97/7/30 Not guilty (Hiroshima) High Court 2001/04/24 Not guilty (Hiroshima) Hiroshima Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~~ Confessed? |
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1976/03/02 |
Ohmori Katsuhisa (26) |
Murder, Bombing ~~~~ No |
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Summary On March 02, 1976, a bomb killed two and injured many in the Hokkaido Prefectural Office. Police searched the house of Ohmori, a suspected Red Army member, and found chloric acid ingrediants used for herbicides. Evidence in this case is extremely impoverished. Defendant insists he is innocent. Court Chronology District Court 1983/03/29 Death (Sapporo) High Court 1988/01/21 Appeal Denied (Death) (Sapporo) Supreme Court 94/07/15 Appeal Denied (Death Sentence Confirmed) Later Actions 2002/07/30 Files for retrial Defendant Currently Housed at On death row in the Sapporo Detention Center http://www.jiadep.org/ |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~~ Confessed |
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Sendai Muscle Relaxant Case |
Mori Daisuke (M) 守大助 Born 1972 |
Murder x 1 Attempted Murder x 4 ~~~~ Yes. Retracted soon afterward. |
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Summary Mori, a male nurse, is accused of killing an elderly patient (F age 89) and attempting to murder fourothers (F ages1,11,and M ages 4 and 45) by administering an intravenous muscle relaxant. Despite finding the defendant's confession to "be guided by the interrogators . . .and that the motive remains unclear," the judge handed down a life sentence. Court Chronology District Court 04/03/30 Life Imprisonment Sendai District Court High Court 2006/03/22 Life Imprisonment Sendai High Court On October 9 2005, after only four hearings, the judge summarily terminates proceedings and announces March 22, 2006 as decision day. The defense team walks out of court and files for recusal . Supreme Court 08/02/25 SC Life Imprisonment Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at Sendai Prison |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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1998 |
Yagi Shigeru |
Murder x 2 Attempted Murder |
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Summary The defendant is charged with conspiring with three women to commit murder and splitting 1.4 billion yen in insurance payouts Court Chronology District Court 2002/10/01 Death High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Yagi has written a book entitled, "Yagi Shigeru is Innocent." Defendant Currently Housed at Death row in Tokyo. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kitagata Matsue Saga 2002 |
Matsue Teruhiko b. 1963 |
Murder x 3 ~~~~ Yes |
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Summary In 1989, police discovered the bodies of three women, ages 37~50, who were murdered between 1987~89. Matsue, already in prison for a narcotics charge, was subjected to prolonged interrogation and signed a confession. He was not arrested until 2002, six hours before the statute of limitations expired. Court Chronology District Court 2005 May 10 Not Guilty NOTE: Second case in Japanese history when a defendant was declared innocent when the death penalty was demanded. Cf: Nabari Case. High Court 2006 June 6: Appeals case begun. Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Hoshino 1988/12/08 |
Hoshino (Masami?) |
obscenity ~~~~ ? |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 90/03/27 7 months at labor High Court 91/03/26 Not Guilty Supreme Court 94/12/22 Not Guilty decision is overturned. Case is remanded to the High Court. Later Actions 96/05/16 Guilty Nagoya High Court 99/03/23 Confirmed. Supreme Court. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Shibuya 渋谷事件 Hoshino ~~~~~ 1971/11/14 |
Hoshino Fumiaki 星野 文昭 |
Murder |
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Summary During a protest of the Okinawa Sovereignity Return Treaty, a riot policeman was hit by a fire bomb and died. Hoshino, a leader of the demonstration, was charged with slugging the officer and ordering the fire bomb thrown. Six other demonstrators arrested as collaboraters implicated Hoshino in statements to police but retracted the statements in court. Court Chronology District Court 79/08/21 Sentenced to 20 years High Court 83/07/13 Life in Prison Supreme Court 87/07/17 Confirmed. Later Actions 96/04/17 Files for Retrial to Tokyo High Court 00/02/22 Retrial is rejected 09/11/27 Files Second Petition for retrial. Note: A sentence of life imprisonment permits bail after18-20 years if the prisoner writes an apology. Hoshino, maintaining his innocence, refuses to apologize and is nearing his 33rd year of incarceration. This measure is beyond the law and vengefully applied against alleged political radicals. Defendant Currently Housed at Tokushima Prison |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Hostess Murder ホステス殺人事件 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Fukuoka 1994/10 |
Ide Kenichi 井手健一 |
Accomplice to Murder |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court Life Imprisonment High Court 2008/04/22 Not Guilty Supreme Court Confirmed Later Actions 2006 The Tokyo District Court ordered Kyodo News on Thursday to pay 1.65 million yen in compensation |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Iwate Hospital Case 岩手病院人工呼吸器停止事件 1999/09/10 |
Fujimura Tazuko (F) |
Professional Negligence Resulting in Death. ~~~~ ? |
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Summary A patient at the hospital was found dead after a respirator stopped functioning. The defendant, a nurse, was not indicted until 01/11/27, a full two years after the Incident. Court Chronology District Court Eight months in prison, suspended for two years. High Court Confirmed. Supreme Court 05/12/19 Appeal is rejected, sentence is confirmed. Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Fukuoka Iizuka Double Girls Murder 飯塚２女児 殺人事件 1992 |
久間三千年 |
Murder x 2 |
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Summary Executed on 2008/10/28. Kuma maintained his innocence. Court Chronology District Court 1999/09/29 Death Fukuoka High Court 2001/10/10 Fukuoka Death Supreme Court 2006/09/08 Death Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Osaka 2011 |
Abudei Sumairu |
Drug Smuggling |
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Summary Prosecution called for an 18 year sentence and a fine of 8 million yen for Abudei Smairu (spelling?) Court Chronology District Court Osaka 2011/01/28 Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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（歌舞伎町） Tokyo 2001/09/01 |
? |
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Summary 44 people died in the 5th worst fire in the postwar period. Attorneys have offered evidence that fire began in a separate room. Court Chronology District Court 2008 July 2 Not guilty x 1 Suspended Sentences x5 High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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甲山 Hyogo 1974 |
Etsuko Yamada (F 24) Kiyoshi Araki (M ) Yuko Tada (F) |
Yamada: Murder Araki: Perjury Tada: Perjury ~~~ Yamada-yes, after 13 days of interrogation. |
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Summary Two children, a boy and girl, both aged twelve, went missing from the Kabutoyama Institute, a school for retarded children and young adults. The bodies were later retrieved from a septic tank. Etsuko Yamada, a nurse, was arrested, but not charged with murder. She then sued the police and was vengefully rearrested. This marathon case took 25 years. Court Chronology District Court 1985/10/17 Not Guilty ( Kobe DC) High Court 90/03/23 Osaka Not Guilty. Decision is overturned. Remanded to District Court. Supreme Court 92/04/07 Defense's appeal against the remand is refused Later Actions 98/03/24 Kobe District Court Not Guilty 99/09/29 Osaka High Court Not Guilty Prosecution's appeal is rejected. Innocence is confirmed. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kagoshima Family Murder 1969/01/18 |
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Murder |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court 12 Years Supreme Court Remanded to H. C. Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Osaka 貝塚ビニールハウス殺人事件 1979 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kamedo Police Violence Tokyo 2004/02 |
Watanabe Akira |
Obstructing public duties (obstructing police ) ~~~~ No |
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Summary On his way home after an evening of drinking, the defendant asked a Tokyo police officer, "Tell me, whaddya think of the the Hokkaido Police money scandal?" He was thrown to the ground, roughed up, and charged with obstructing police officers in their perfomance. Court Chronology District Court 05/09/08 Guilty (7 months labor suspended for 3 three years). High Court 06/05/24 affirms lower court ruling. Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kanemori 金森 Korea 1941/10/02 |
Kanemori Kenji |
Arson |
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Summary The defendant was charged with setting a factory on fire. Court Chronology District Court 1942/06/30 15 Years Pusan High Court 42/08/21 15 Years Korea Supreme Court Later Actions 71/01/28 Not Guilty Osaka H.C. State Redress Suits (Civil Court) 73/04 Osaka District Court Won (Redress awarded) 75/11 Osaka High Court Guilty (Refused. Decision is reversed.) 77/02 Supreme Court Guilty (Refused) Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kanondou 観音堂 |
小平尚重 |
Arson |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court Two Years High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Retrial: Not Guilty Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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2002/10/31 |
Karino Akio |
Murder |
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Summary Defendant is charged with the death of 52 year old, Masaki Hayashi, whose body has never been recovered, based on flimsy circumstantial evidence. Court Chronology District Court 2006/05/12 Guilty High Court Currently being appealed. Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Katoh Roh 15/07/11 |
Katoh Shinichi |
Murder, Robbery |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 16/02/14 Life Imprisonment High Court 1916/08/04 Life Imprisonment Supreme Court 1916/11/07 Confirmed Later Actions 76/09 Retrial granted 77/07/07 Innocent /////////////////// State Redress Suits (Civil Court) 80/07 Hiroshima D.C. Refused 86/10 Hiroshim H.C. Refused 87/01 Supreme Court Refused |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kanehara Chiemi (F) Hamamatsu 2009/12 b. 1967 |
Kanehara Chiemi |
Murder |
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Summary The accused was charged with murdering her 69 year old common law husband. A 13 year sentence was demanded and the saiban-in jury found she acted in self-defense.. Court Chronology District Court 2011/02/02 Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Shizuoka 1991/08/22 |
Kawai Toshihiko |
Murder ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary
Kawai was arrested in August 1991 on suspicion of drowning his girlfriend's 5 year old son in her bathtub. Forensic analysis indicated the death occurred when Kawai was away, delivering newspapers early in the morning. A police tape recording of the woman confessing to the drowning was dismissed by the high court. Court Chronology District Court High Court 1996 Seven Years Supreme Court Confirmed. Later Actions Defendant was released from prison in 2000. Television documentary about the case was made in 2001. Filed for retrial in May 2005. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Chiba 1981/11/26 1982/05/24 |
Kawashima Hideo |
Murder, Robbery ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary On May 24, 1982, Hideo Kawashima, snack bar owner, was arrested for the robbery and murder of a gangster. Kawashima possessed a shotgun and was leasing the bar from the victim. Court Chronology District Court 88/01/18 16 years imprisonment Chiba High Court 89/06/19 Appeal dismissed. Tokyo Supreme Court 94/03/15 Appeal Dismissed. Sentence confirmed Later Actions 00/03/20 Kawashima is paroled. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kimagase 木間ケ瀬 1950 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1958 Death High Court 1961 Not Guilty Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kita 喜多 |
喜多 純之介 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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2005/05/27 |
Kitayama Tomoya b. 1974 |
Arson resulting in death ~~~ Yes |
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Summary Tomoya Kitayama was arrested for the alleged arson attack in the city of Osaka in May 2005 and told investigators he had set fire to the apartment building to express his disgust. Judge Munehisa Sugita said the police conduct exemplified a "vicious investigation that depended on confession while disrespecting material evidence." Court Chronology District Court 2007/Mar/31 Not guilty Osaka DC High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Hyogo 2005/October |
Ogata Hidehiko |
Murder and Robbery of a Pawnshop Owner ~~~ Yes |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 2008/07/01 Not Guilty High Court 2009/09/24 Guilty Life Imprisonment Supreme Court Pending Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Hyogo |
Shonen A 14 years old. (Youth A) Name withheld because he is a minor. |
Murder ~~~ Yes |
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Summary The city of Kobe suffered several phantom killings, as well as the murder of an 11 year old retarded boy who was beheaded. With neither evidence or leads, police extracted a confession from a 14 year old boy with a shoplifting conviction and charged him with multiple murders. Court Chronology District Court Family court ruled the confession was illegal, but declared the boy guilty and sent him to a reformatory. High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Released from the Kanto Medical Reformatory 2004 |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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1997 Tokyo |
(Omitted) Mentally imparied man with an IQ of 40. |
Arson ~~~~ Yes |
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Summary After a series of 23 suspicious fires were set in Tokyo, police began interrogating mentally impaired residents, and charged one with arson. Court Chronology District Court 99/07 18 months of labor High Court 00/07 Appeal is rejected. Supreme Court 03/06 Appeal rejected, sentence is confirmed. Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Koushoku 更新少年事件 1999/04/06 |
Yamada Toshiro |
Battery |
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Summary information needed. Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Koutoku shuusui 幸徳秋水 Meiji Period |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Koutsu 江津 1962 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Liang Stimulant (Tried by Mixed Jurors) |
梁振華 Liang Zhen-hua (Japanese Ryou Shinka) aged 33 |
Receiving Stimulants |
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Summary Prosecutors demanded 13 years + Seven Million Yen ($85,000) sentence. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Court Chronology District Court (Tokyo) 2011/01/24 Not Guilty Confirmed: Prosecution abandons appeal High Court Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Crime Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Loughlin |
Loughlin Patrick British National |
Manslaughter |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court 2001/10/ __ __ Later Actions Released 2003/09/05 Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Marusho 丸正 Shizuoka Mishima City 55/05/11 55/05/30 |
Li _____ Suzuki Kazuo |
Murder Robbery |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 57/10/31 Li Life Imprisonment Suzuki 15 Years High Court 58/12/09 Appeal is rejected. Supreme Court 60/07/19 Confirmed Later Actions 63/12/26 Request for Retrial is filed. 1974 Li is Paroled 89/01/02 Li dies. 92/12/27 Suzuki dies. Request for retrial is dropped after death of the defendants. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Maruyama Groping Case 2003/10/23 |
Maruyama Isao (age 41 at the time) |
Groping ~~~~ No |
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Summary The defendant was charged with groping a high school girl on a train. He spent 105 days in detention. This case became the story for the movie "I just didn't do it." Court Chronology District Court 05/01/21 Guilty (18 months labor suspended for three years) High Court 06/03/08 Not guilty. Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Matsukawa 1949 |
20 people |
Train sabotage resulting in death |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 50/12/06 5 sentenced to death. 5 to life Imprisonment. 10 sentenced to various terms. High Court 53/12/22 4 sentenced to death. 2 to life imprisonment. 11 sentenced to various terms. 3 found innocent. Supreme Court 59/8/10 High Court decision is overturned and remanded. Later Actions 61/8/8 Sendai High Court All defendants found not guilty. 63/9/12 Supreme Court Prosecution's appeal is rejected. Innocence is finalized. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Matsuo 松尾事件 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Matsuyama 1955/10/18 |
Saito Yoshio Incarcerated: 28.5 years |
Murder, robbery, arson |
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Summary The defendant was charged with murdering a family of four, committing robbery and setting the house on fire. Court Chronology District Court 1957/10/29 Death High Court 1959/05/26 Death Supreme Court 1960/11/01 Death Later Actions 1979/12 Retrial Granted 1984/07 Not Guilty Exonerated! State Redress Suit filed in civil court. 1991/07 Sendai D. C. Denied. 2006/07/05 Saito passes away. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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免田 Kumamoto 1948/12/29 |
Menda Sakae Incarcerated: 34 years |
Murder, Robbery ~~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Menda became the first defendant (of only four) to be released from death row in the postwar era. Court Chronology District Court 1950/03/23 Death High Court 1951/03/19 Death Supreme Court 1951/12/25 Death Later Actions 56/08/10 Third Appeal for Retrial Accepted (Kumamoto D.C.) 59/04/15 Request is cancelled (Fukuoka H.C.) 79/09/27 Sixth Appeal for Retrial Accepted (Fukuoka H.C.) 80/12/11 Prosecution's protest of retrial is rejected. (S.C.) 83/07/15 Not Guilty (Kumamoto D.C. Yachiyo Branch) EXONERATED! |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Midori-so みどり荘 (Sleepwalking Case) |
Kutsukake |
Murder Rape ~~~~ Yes |
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Summary After a young woman was raped and murdered, police interrogated her young male neighbor who was home and asleep during the Incident. Police forced him to confess to the crime "while I was sleepwalking." Court Chronology District Court Guilty Life Imprisonment High Court Not Guilty Prosecution abandons appeal. Decision is confirmed Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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1990 |
Miki Toshio |
Assault resulting in death ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Toshio Miki, 57 is charged with stabbing Hideo Shirasaki, 56, on a street, and leaving him critically injured on a street where he was struck by a motor vehicle on Nov. 11, 1990. Miki was arrested Oct. 13 2005, 27 days before the 15 year statute of limitations expired. The defense claims the DNA blood analysis on the knife was not credible. Court Chronology District Court 2006/04/09 13 years High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Misaki 三崎 |
Arai Masao |
Murder x 3 ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Convicted for the murderer of a family of three. The culprit was seen running from the scene. Arai has a severe foot injury from a traffic accident which makes this impossible. His large shoes (27 cm) differ from the footprints left at the scene, and neither his clothes norcar showed any blood . No other evidence links the defendant to the Incident. Court Chronology District Court 76/09/25 Death Yokohama (Nasu branch) High Court 84/12/18 Death Tokyo Supreme Court 90/10/16 Death Later Actions 91/01 Files for retrial. 2009 Dies in prison Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Missing Money/Nishioka 京都不明金 Kyoto |
Nishioka |
Embezzlement |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Mitaka Tokyo 1949/07/15 |
IIda/Takeuchi 9 others |
Derailing a train and causing death |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1950/08/11 Takeuchi Life Imprisonment. Nine others not guilty High Court 1951/03/30 Takeuchi sentenced to death. Nine others not guilty. Supreme Court Appeal denied. Sentence is confirmed. Later Actions Takeuchi dies in prison seeking appeal. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Miyadai 宮代 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Moraga 2001 August Tokyo Nagano |
Alejandro Moraga-Reyes Chilean Citizen |
Theft ~~~~ |
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Summary Chilean Alejandro Moraga Reyes, was accused of abetting and participating in the theft of a necklace and then a car. The court found that no necklace was stolen, and that Moraga was not complicit in stealing an automobile. The prosecution appealed and Moraga was reincarcerated on 03/05/29. (Reincareration is mostly applied to foreigners) Court Chronology District Court 2003/05/29 Not Guilty Suwa Summary Court High Court 2004/08/17 Guilty: Two Years of Labor Supreme Court 2004/12/14 Guilty Confirmed. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
|
Tokyo 2009/June |
Muraki Atsuko (F) |
Forgery of Official Document |
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Summary Muraki, a bureaucrat with the Welfare Ministry, was charged with forging a document allowing commercial businesses to use reduced postal rates allowed to welfare organizations who aid the blind and physically challenged. Court Chronology District Court 2010/09/11 Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Mure 牟礼 1950/04/13 Arrested 1952/10/03 (2.5 years later) |
Satoh Two other co-defendants |
Murder, Robbery, Hiding the Corpse |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 54/10/25 Death Tokyo High Court 57/06/20 Death Tokyo Supreme Court 58/08/05 Confirmed Later Actions 1960/02/12 1st Request for Retrial filed. 89/10/27 Satoh dies in prison 8th Request for Retrial is abandoned. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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名張 61/03/28 Mie Nabari City Arrested 61/04/02 |
Masaru Okunishi 35 |
Murder x 5 ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Five women died at a town meeting afterdrinking wine laced with poison. The investigation focussed on those in possession of the wine that day, was narrowed to three people. The key suspect became thirty five year old Masaru Okunishi. Of the five women who perished, one was his wife and another was a lover. A great tragedy of Japanese justice, Okunishi was found not guilty in his first trial, guilty in the second. Court Chronology District Court 1964/12/23 Not Guilty High Court 69/09/10 Death Nagoya High Court Supreme Court 1972/06/15 Confirmed Later Actions 73/04/15 First Request for retrial is filed. 2002 7th request for retrial is filed. 2005/04/05 Request for retrial is granted. Prosecution files objection. 2006/12/26 Prosecution’s objection is granted, retrial is revoked. Defendant Currently Housed at Currently on death row in the Nagoya Detention Center. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
|
Hiroshima 2001/01/17 |
Nakamura Kuniharu |
Murder of mother and two daughters. |
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Summary Nakamura, 39, a former company employee, was indicted on charges of strangling his mother, Sayoko, 53, at her home in the city's Nishi Ward around 3 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2001. He was also charged with setting fire to the house, killing his two daughters, Ayaka, 8, and Arisu, 6. The prosecution demanded death. Court Chronology District Court 2007/11 Not Guilty High Court 2009/12/15 Not Guilty Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Niho 仁保 1954/10/26 |
Tamotsu Okabe |
Murder ~~~ Yes, claims he was tortured. |
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Summary The defendant was charged with the murder of the family of six in Niho, Yamaguchi prefecture. Court Chronology District Court 62/6/15 Death High Court 68/2/14 Death Supreme Court 70/7/31 Disagrees with lower court decisions. Remanded to high court Later Actions 1972/12/14 Not Guilty Hiroshima High Court Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Nisan Sunny Case DOI: 67/10/27 DOA: 68/04/27 Fukushima Iwaki City |
Saito |
Murder, Robbery, Theft |
|
Summary Court Chronology District Court 1969/04/02 Life Imprisonment High Court 1970/04/16 Life Imprisonment Supreme Court 1971/04/19 Confirmed Later Actions 1988/05/01 Paroled |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
|
Tokyo 1972 |
Nishiyama |
Exposing government documents in violation of the National Public Services Law. |
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Summary Arrested and charged together with a female Foreign Ministry secretary for exposing classified internal documents about the negotiation process behind Okinawa's reversion from U.S. occupation. Both were accused of violating the National Public Services Law. According to the reports, Japan shouldered $ 4 million in costs for the reversion under the secret agreement, which has been consistently denied by high-ranking Japanese government officials. Court Chronology District Court Not Guilty High Court Guilty Supreme Court 1978 Guiity Confirmed Later Actions 2005 Files suit seeking 33 million yen for an illegal indictment after documents released by the USA proved his claim. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Nitsuchi Niishi + Tsuchida-taku + Peace-can (Cigarette-can) 日土(日石・土田邸・ピース缶爆弾事件) Tokyo 1969/10/24 1971/10/18 1971/12/18 DOA 1972/09 |
Masubuchi Toshiyuki 増淵利行 and 18 others. |
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Summary On 10/18, a package delivered by two women inside the Japan Petroleum Company caused one person serious injury after exploding. On 12/18, Tamiko Tsuchida, wife of a high ranking police official, was killed opening a package that contained a bomb. Police seized Masubuchi, then a student of Hosei University, a member of the Lenin study group. The trial took ten years and the prosecution sought death for Masubuchi, and twelve year terms for two of the accomplices. At the end of the ten year statute of limitations, two of the real culprits admitted to two of the crimes. Court Chronology District Court 1982/03/24 Not guilty Tokyo High Court 1985/12/13 Not Guilty Tokyo (confirmed) Supreme Court Later Actions In April of 1979, a red army faction activist, Masanori Wakamiya, testified that he was responsible for one of the Peace-can bombings of the police station. Since the statute of limitations had passed, he was not indicted. On May 25, 1982, Yoshiaki Makita, son of the president of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, held a press conference and confessed that he and his associates, and not any of the accused, were responsible for the bombings. Since the statue of limitations had passed, he was not tried. All the defendants brought suits against the state for redress, but only one received compensation. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Noda 野田 Noda City, Chiba 1979/09/11 1979/09/29 |
Aoyama Tadashi |
Murder ~~~ Yes |
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Summary The accused is mentally challenged. Court Chronology District Court 1987/01/26 12 years High Court 1989/09/06 Affirmed Supreme Court 1993/12/20 Appeal rejected. Sentence confirmed. Later Actions 1994/08/14 Defendant is released from prison. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Noda #2 |
Noda |
Murder, battery, rape. |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 90/03/15 Not guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Ohmori Kangin Bank 大森勧銀事件 1970 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 73/??/?? Life Imprisonment High Court 78/??/?? Not Guilty Supreme Court 82/??/?? Not Guilty decision is confirmed Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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大崎 Kagoshima 1979/10/12 |
Haraguchi Ayako (Nee Nakamura) + three others |
Murder, Corpse Disposal |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 80/03/31 Haraguchi 10 years. Three others get 1-8 years. High Court 1980/10/14 Haraguchi's appeal is rejected Supreme Court 1981/01/30 Appeal is rejected. Later Actions 95/04/19 Appeal for retrial is filed. 2002/03/20 Appeal for retrial is granted by Kagoshima District Court. Prosecution soon appeals to Kagoshima High Court against the retrial. 2004/12/09 Kagoshima H. C. affirms the prosecution's appeal and overturns the lower court's decision to reopen the case. 2006/01/31 SC affirms the prosecution's appeal and quashes retrial. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Ohte-cho 大手町 1986/05/03 |
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Murder, robbery, theft ~~~~ No |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 93/11/17 Life Imprisonment Hiroshima High Court 00/2/22 Appeal is rejected Hiroshima Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Osaka 2007/5/5 |
Oike Osamu 尾池治 |
Arson, Murder x 3 |
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Summary In the first trial, the judge found the DVD confession to be unreliable, and that there are other suspects. Court Chronology District Court 2011/Feb/16 Not Guilty High Court 2011/Feb/23 Guilty 17 Years Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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??? |
Receiving one kilogram of marijuana from an acquaintance. |
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Summary Prosecutors sought a five year sentence and one million yen fine. Court Chronology District Court 2011/04/28 Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Tokyo 2009/September |
Okamoto Kazuyoshi |
Arson, Trespassing and Theft |
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Summary Tried by a mixed jury system, Okamoto was accused of setting fire to an apartment, trespassing and stealing cash, but was convicted only of trespassing and theft. Court Chronology District Court (Tokyo) 2010 July 18 months. Trespassing and Theft -guilty. Arson-not guilty. High Court Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Okita Mitsuo |
Groping ~~~ No |
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Summary September 2, 1999. After urging a young woman to speak quietly into her cellphone while aboard a Tokyo train, the woman reported Okita as a groper. He denied the charges and spent 21 days in confinement,after which, the charges were dropped. He filed a State Redress Suit against the police and a civil suit against the woman who accused him. Though the State Redress Suit ultimately failed, the Supreme Court in a Nov 2008 ruling vacated previous dismissals of his civil suit and reinstated the case against the woman. Court Chronology District Court Civil Suit. 2006/04/10 (Lost) High Court Supreme Court 2008/Nov/07 SC vacates lower court decisions against the woman and remands the case back for further hearing. Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Okize/Matsunaga 沖縄ゼネスト警官死亡事件 |
Matsunaga Yoh 松永優 |
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Summary On November 10, 1971, during a demonstration protesting the conditions put forward for Okinawa's reversion to Japan, a riot policeman was hit with a firebomb and died. The defendant tried to roll the officer to extinguish the flames. He was arrested and charged with murder. Court Chronology District Court (Naha) 1974/10/07 Guilty One year of labor suspended for two years. High Court 1976/04/25 Not Guilty. Supreme Court Later Actions Matsunaga sought damages of 15,000,000 and apologies in the 5 major newspapers. 1976/12/08 Tokyo District Court awarded damages of 3,500,000 yen (no apologies). 1983/10/20 Tokyo High Court: confirms DC decision. 1989/06/29 Supreme Court disagrees and remands to HC. 1992/03/06 Tokyo HC erases awards. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Osaka Attempted Rape 2006/March |
Unknown |
Attempted Rape |
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Summary The accused admitted visiting the home of the defendant and throwing her to the ground, but denies the charge of attempted rape. According to the judge, Judge Hiroshi Furukawa, "The testimony of the victim has been altered and shows deliberate lies. " Mainichi Shinbun 07/06/20 (Evening. p.10) Court Chronology District Court Osaka DC 2006/12 2 and 1/2 years of labor High Court Osaka HC 2007/06/19 Not guilty Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Oume 青梅 |
10 defendants. |
Overturning a train. 〜〜〜 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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親父狩り#1 (Adult Trial) Osaka 2004 |
Fujimoto (Soh) Atsushi (29) Okamoto Taishi (26) plus 3 youths. |
Assault/ Robbery 〜〜〜〜 No |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 2006/03/20 Not guilty Fujimoto &Okamoto High Court Supreme Court Later Actions 07/12/07 Osaka Family Court Reverses earlier ruling for 14 year old youth. 2011/Jan/20 Osaka District Court finds that the interrogations were illegal and orders payment of 15,000,000 yen to five defendants in state redress suit! |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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親父狩り#2 2004 Youths Trial |
Three Youths (minors names may not be disclosed) |
Assault Robbery ~~~ Yes |
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Summary On Feb 16, 2004, four youths mugged an unknown middle-aged man. The victim turned out to be the honorable Kenji Torigoe,chief judge of the Osaka District Court. As the exhaustive investigation turned cold, police arrested 3 minors and forcefully extracted confessions. Two adults (Oyajigari #1) were also charged . Court Chronology District Court Youth 1) 16 yr old: 04/July Sent to Medium Level Reformatory Youth 2) 14 yr old: 06/Mar Sent to Medium Level Reformatory Youth 3) 13yr old: not incarcerated High Court Youth 1) 16 yr old: 2007/Jul Family Court decision is nullifed. 2007/12/17 Dismisses Case (= not guilty) Supreme Court Later Actions Youth 3) Files redress suit against the state. 07/April |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Rokko-san 六甲山事件 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Rosal Matsudo City, Chiba 1997/11/09 1997/11/11 |
Rosal Manalili Villanueva Filipina (aged 28) |
Murder ~~ Yes |
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Summary After spending a night in the hospital visiting her sick daughter, Rosal arrives home to find her live in partner laying on the couch in a pool of blood. An autopsy confirmed 52 stab wounds. Both Rosal and her ex-husband, who had tried to break into the apartment the previous evening, were taken in forquestioning. Rosal, not under arrest, made a false confession after being illegaly detained and interrogated around the clock for 10 days without access to attorneys or Consulate staff. Court Chronology District Court 2000/ 8.5 years Chiba High Court 2002/09/04 8.5 years Tokyo Supreme Court Appeal abandoned. (Knowing that the Supreme Court appeal process is not calculated in time served, and expecting to lose, Rosal abanonds final appeal.) Later Actions 03/06/03 In a separate civil suit against the police, Rosal is awarded two million yen for illegall confinement before arrest. 2007/ January Paroled and Deported to the Philippines |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Ryumon? 竜門 |
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Murder |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court Not Guilty High Court 8 years. Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Sachiura 幸浦 1948/11/29 |
Four Men ages 19~45. |
Murder x 4 /robbery/ arson 〜〜〜〜 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 50/4/27 Three sentenced to death, One to labor. High Court 51/5/8 Appeal is rejected Supreme Court 57/2/14 Appeal is remanded back to the High Court Later Actions 1959/2/28 (Tokyo High Court) Not guilty 1963/7/9 (Supreme Court) Prosecution's appeal is rejected. Innocence is confirmed The village is now part of Fukuroi city. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Saitagawa 財田川 Kagawa 1950/02/28 |
Taniguchi Shigeyoshi |
Murder, robbery |
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Summary One of four postwar death sentence exonerations. The judge who heard the petition for retrial died quit the bench in order to defend Taniguchi. His hardwork was fruitful and the defendant was released after 34 years in prison. Court Chronology District Court 52/02/20 Death High Court 56/06/08 Appeal Denied Supreme Court 57/01/22 Later Actions 1979/06/07 retrial granted 1983/March Former judge turned attorney Yano dies. 1984/03/12 EXONERATED 2005/07/26 Taniguchi dies. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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San-oku-en 三億円事件 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Sanrizuka 三里塚 Chiba |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Sasaki 佐々木 １９７４／１０／３０ |
Sasaki Tetsuya 佐々木哲也 |
Murder x 2 ~~~ Yes |
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Summary Sasaki was convicted of killing his parents. He maintains his innocence. Court Chronology District Court 84/03/15 Death Chiba High Court 86/08/29 Death Tokyo Supreme Court 92/01/31 Death Later Actions Retrial has been filed Defendant Currently Housed at Death Row: Tokyo |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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狭山 1963/05/01 1963/05/23 |
Ishikawa Kazuo |
Murder, Rape, Robbery 〜〜〜 Yes |
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Summary A young woman was kidnapped and a well written ransom note was delivered to herfamily. She was later raped and killed. Police arrested Ishikawa, a semi-literate Burakumin, and forced him to confess. Court Chronology District Court 64/03/11 Death High Court 74/10/31 Life Imprisonment Supreme Court 77/08/09 Confirmed Later Actions 77/08/30 Request for retrial Ishikawa paroled in December1995. 05/03/157 2nd Appeal for retrial denied. 06/05/23 3rd appeal for retrial submitted to Tokyo High Court. (Exactly 43 years after original arrest) Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Shimada 島田事件 Shizuoka 1954/03 |
Akabori Incarcerated: 34 years |
Murder ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Akabori, who is autistic, was arrested and charged for murdering a child. He is one of only four people whose death sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court, and was later found innocent. Court Chronology District Court Death 1958/05/23 Death High Court Death 1960/02/17 Death Supreme Court 1960/02/17 Death Confirmed Later Actions 1986/05/30 Retrial granted Shizuoka District Court rejects 4th appeal. High court accepts and remands to district court for hearings. 1989/01 Not Guilty |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Shimizu Kyoku 清水局 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Shimotakaido |
Takano |
Arson |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 2004/02/23 Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kagoshima |
Shirahama Masahiro aged 71 at time of trial |
Murder and robbery of an elderly couple |
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Summary Prosecution demanded death. Court Chronology District Court (Kagoshima) 2010/Dec/10 Not Guilty High Court On Appeal Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Shirotori 白鳥 1952/01/21 Hokkaido Sapporo |
Kuniji Murakami 1952/10/01 |
Murder |
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Summary An enormously important case, the first instance of a confirmed guilty verdict being overturned in postwar Japanese history. Court Chronology District Court 1957/05/07 Life Imprisonment High Court 1960/05/31 20 years Supreme Court 1963/10/17 Confirmed Later Actions Retrial Request is Filed 1975 Decision is overturned: not guilty. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Shutou Multiple Murder 首都圏連続 殺人事件 |
Ono Etsuo |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Soka 草加 1985/07/19 |
6 Youths aged 13-15 |
Murder Rape ~~~ Yes |
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Summary In July of 1985, a young woman was found dead and raped. Police arrested and extracted confessins from six youths aged between 13 and 15. Despite contradictions among the confessions, and the absence of DNA materials among the suspects, all were sent to juvenile correction facilities. Court Chronology District Court 85/09/06 Sent to reform school. (Family Court) High Court 86/06/16 Appeal is rejected. Supreme Court 89/07/20 Further appeal is rejected. The Court refused to rule because the boys had already been released. Later Actions The victims parents brought a civil suit but were turned down by the Urawa District Court, establishing grounds for innocence. The Tokyo District Court reversed, and awarded damages. The Supreme Court disagreed and remanded to the high court which did an about face and quashed the suit. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Sunagawa 1957 Sep |
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Summary 1955: Riots occur to prevent the enlargement of a US base. Nearly 1000 people are injured, 23 are arrested, 7 are prosecuted. In 1959, Tokyo District Court Judge Dahte rules the bases violate the constitution. After direct appeal to the Supreme Court, the US ambassador secretly negotiatied with various Ministries and the Supreme Court. The decision was overturned and the defendant’s were found guilty. Court Chronology District Court 1959/March Not guilty High Court Supreme Court 1959 December. The earlier decision is overturned and remanded to the district court. Later Actions 1960 Jan: US-Japan Security treaty is signed. 1960 Jun US-Japan Security treaty is ratified by the Diet. 1961 March Defendants are found guilty and fined 2000 yen. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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2004 |
Onishi Shouhei + 2 others |
Illegal Entry Trespassing |
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Summary Three activists passed out leaflets at a Self-Defense forces housing complex protesting the use of Self Defense forces in Iraq . 41 days later, they were arrested . Despite the triviality of the charge, the defendants were confined for 75 days. Court Chronology District Court 2004/12/16 Not guilty High Court 2005/12/09 Decision reversed: guilty. Defendants were fined: 100,000 yen (x2) and 200,000 yen (x1). Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Takaishi Primary School 高石小学校 |
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Obscenity |
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Summary The defendant, an elderly retired gentleman, who drove the school bus, was accused of molesting an eight year old girl. The girl's story, full of inconsistencies, was accepted by the court Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kochi Child Molestation |
Takeuchi Shinichiro |
Obscenity (Molestation) |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 2003/03/_ _ Guilty High Court 2004/06/_ _ Not Guilty Supreme Court Later Actions Takeuchi won damages against the government for prosecutorial malfeasance against his wife. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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(Mito Child Drowning Case) 2002/07/28 2003/04/15 |
Tanabe Masaki b. 1972 |
Kidnapping and Murder of a 22 month old boy ~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Prosecutors allege that Tanabe became angered by the boy's crying while trying to sleep in his minivan in Toyokawa city, Aichi prefecture.. He abducted, transported, and then hurled the boy into the sea from a pier in Mito city. In the absence of material evidence, the district court found the confession unreliable. Court Chronology District Court 2006/01/25 Not Guilty High Court 2007/07/06 17 years Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Tatsuno 辰野 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Takamatsu |
Tanaka 田中将敬 |
Robbery, battery |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 88/6/13 7 years imprisonment High Court 93/4/22 Defense's appeal is rejected. Supreme Court 94/4/12 Appeal is rejected. Sentence is confirmed. Later Actions Defendant dies during preparation for retrial |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Taki 瀧 |
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Murder, Robbery |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court Life Imprisonment High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Tokyo 1948/01/26 1948/01/26 |
Hirasawa Sadamichi |
Murder, Robbery ~~~ Yes, after 34 days of interrogation. |
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Summary 12 people died in a bank drinking medicine which was laced with poison. Investigators quickly surmised that the perpetrator had a deep knowledge of poisons and chemistry, probably a former member of the 731 Brigade. When the investigation failed to progress, they arrested 56 year old tenpera painter with no knowledge of chemistry. Court Chronology District Court １９５０／０７／２４Death High Court 1951/09/29 Death Supreme Court 1955/04/26 Confirmed Later Actions 87/05/10 Hirasawa dies in prison. Aged 95 20th appeal for retrial filed 2003. Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Three Insurance Fraud Cases |
Hamada Takeshige |
Murder Insurance Fraud ~~~ Admits one of the cases. |
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Summary The defendant denies two of the three cases. This invalidates the death sentence. Court Chronology District Court 82/03/29 Death Fukuoka High Court 84/06/17 Death Fukuoka Supreme Court 88/03/08 Death Later Actions 00/06 Fourth Appeal for Retrial filed. Defendant Currently Housed at On death row in Fukuoka |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Tokuda 徳田 |
Tokuda |
Murder Arson + other charges |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court Life Imprisonment High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Tokumoto 徳本 |
Three defendants Two are tried in absentia |
Auto Theft |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1968 7 Years Kobe High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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2000/June |
Tokunaga Robert Brazilian National |
Excessive injury resulting in death |
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Summary Brazilian Roberto Tokunaga was tried for causing excessive injury resulting in death to his 3 year old daughter. The prosecution appealed and Tokunaga was reincarcerated on 01/10/17 at the start of his second trial. (Reincareration is mostly applied to foreigners) He is currently serving ______ Court Chronology District Court 2001/05/24 Not Guilty Nagano District Court High Court 2002/06/08 Guilty 5 years of labor. Tokyo High Court Supreme Court 2002/11/25 Confirmed. Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Tokushima Radio 徳島ラジオ商殺し事件 |
Fuji Shigeko (F) |
Murder |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1956 Sentenced to 13 years. High Court Supreme Court 1958 Sentence is confirmed. Later Actions 1959 First Appeal for retrial is filed Second Appeal for retrial is filed 1962 Third Appeal for retrial is filed 1966 Defendant is provisionally released. 1968 Fourt Appeal for retrial is filed 1978 Fifth Appeal for retrial is filed 1979 Defendant Dies 1980 Appeal for retrial is accepted 1983 Retrial begins. 1985 Six years after her death, defendant is found innocent. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Tomiyama 富山 1974/10/03 |
Tomiyama Yasunobu |
Murder |
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Summary A person was killed in a fight among leftist political groups (chukaku-ha vs kakumaru-ha). One year later, despite having an alibi,police arrested. Five people gave eye-witness evidence which the first court found faulty and unreliable. Court Chronology District Court 1981/03/05 Not guilty High Court 1985/06/26 Guilty 10 years. Supreme Court 1987/11/10 Sentence is confirmed. Later Actions 94/06/20 Request for retrial is filed. 95/12/19 Released from prison |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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2002 |
Yanagihara Hiroshi (aged) |
Rape |
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Summary After the real culprit confessed, police apologized. "This case is a violation of human rights.No objective evidence was found in an investigation that was insufficient. We need to undertake investigations with more precision and prudence, especially in regard to statements by suspects." (2007/02/28). Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Toyohashi Case 豊橋一家3人殺し事件 Aichi 1970/05/15 1970/08/28 |
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Murder, Arson, Robbery and Rape ~~~~~~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary A mother was raped and murdered, and her two children perished in a blaze. A 21 year old man was arrested and charged, and the prosecution asked for death. He was found innocent. The case was never solved. Court Chronology District Court 1974/06/12 Not Guilty (Confirmed) High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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鶴見 1988 June 20 |
Takahashi Kazutoshi |
Robbery Murder ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Arriving 30 minutes late for an appointment at a real estate office, Takahashi finds two dead bodies. He does not inform the police, and leaves with a bag of cash. He is apprehended, and using the theft as a pretext, police extract a confession to murder. Though the contents of the confession, i.e., the murder tool, the escape route, and other statements conflict with the Incident, the court issues a death sentence based on circumstantial evidence. Court Chronology District Court 1995 Death Yokohama D.C. High Court Supreme Court 2006/03/26 Later Actions www.bekkoame.ne.jp/ro/gh10639 Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges |
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Ueda Toenail Case Fukuoka July 2007 |
Ueda Satomi (F) |
Professional Negligence |
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Summary Nurse Ueda was charged with cutting toenails of dementia patients too short, and causing them to bleed. She was incarcerated for three months. Court Chronology District Court 2009/March Guilty (six months in prison suspended for three years) High Court 2010/09/16 Not Guilty Supreme Court |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Umeda 梅田 ~~~~~ 1950/Oct Hokkaido Kitami City |
Umeda Yoshimitsu |
Murder, Robbery ~~~~~~~ Yes to police. Denied the confession in court |
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Summary A forestry official was robbed and murdered. Two years later, Umeda was arrested Court Chronology District Court Life Imprisonment High Court 57/11 Confirmed Supreme Court Later Actions 71/05 Paroled 82/12 Retrial granted. 86/08 Not Guilty 07/06/20 dies. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Urayasu 浦安 ２００４／Feb |
K (Prefers not to have name published). |
Molestation x 2 |
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Summary The defendant, a teacher at a school for the mentally challenged, was charged with molesting two of the students. Court Chronology District Court Not Guilty High Court Not Guilty Supreme Court Later Actions The parents of the two children brought civil suit against Saitama prefecture and Urayasu city seeking 20,000,000 in damages. The courts awarded 600,000 yen. The case is being appealed. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Utsunomiya Assault & Robbery |
Withheld (Defendant is Mentally Disabled) |
Assault, Robbery ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary A 53 year old mentally disabled man pleaded guilty to assaulting two junior high school girls, robbing a confectioner of 130,000 yen, and later robbing a supermarket employee of 6,000 yen. Court Chronology District Court After demanding a seven year term, prosecutors drop charges after another man confesses to the crime. High Court Supreme Court Later Actions 2006/03 Bar Association issues warning to authorities over the case Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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98/??/?? |
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Yes |
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Summary Posecution requests decision of not guilty. Court Chronology District Court 00/??/?? Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yakai 八海 1951/1/24 |
four people |
Murder, Robbery |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1952/06/02 One defendant sentenced to death, three to life imprisonment. High Court 1953/9/18 Defendant's appeal is rejected Supreme Court 1957/10/5 Disagrees with lower court decisions. Orders retrial in high court. Later Actions Four rulings 1959 High Court Not Guilty 1962 Not Guilty decision is overturned. Remanded to the High Court 1965 High Court Guilty 1968 Supreme Court Not Guilty |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yamakawa or Deza (友部)友部小学校女教デザ (デザイナー殺人事件 / 山川事件） 1965/01/13 |
Yamakawa Shinya |
Murder, Kidnapping |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1966/02/28 Death High Court 1968/12/19 Death Supreme Court 1971/05/11 Death Later Actions 75/03/04 Appeal for Retrial 77/05/21 Defendant commits suicide awaiting retrial. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yamamoto 山本 1928/11/24 |
Yamamoto Hisao |
Murder |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1930/01/24 Life Imprisonment High Court 1930/12/26 Life Imprisonment Supreme Court 1931/04/08 Confirmed Later Actions 1945/Nov Paroled 1952/April Sentence commuted to 20 years. 1983/09/09 Files Second Request for Retrial |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yamanaka 山中 1972/07/26 |
Yamanaka 山中 |
Murder |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1975/10/27 Death High Court 1982/01/19 Death Supreme Court 1989/06/22 Remanded to High Court Later Actions Decision Overturned: Not Guilty. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yamasaki Hit and Run 山崎ひき逃げ DOI 1986/06/17 DOA 1998/09/30 |
Yamasaki Kunio |
Professional Negligence resulting in death. |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court In deliberation High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yamashita 山下 1984/03/22 |
Yamashita Akira |
Murder |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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横浜 1943 Kanagawa |
About 30 defendants, four of whom died of torture in prison. |
Violating the wartime peace preservation law ~~~ Yes, after torture. |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court 1945/08&09 High Court Supreme Court Later Actions 1986~2002: four requests for retrial made. 03/April. Yokohama DC accepts request for retrial. Prosecution protests. 05/March Tokyo HC upholds Yokohama DC decision. 06/02/09 Yokohama DC . Trial is terminated without decision. 06/Feb Appeal is lodged with Tokyo HC. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yoneya 米谷 |
Yoneya |
Murder, Rape |
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Summary The defendant was charged with the rape and murder of an elderly woman. Court Chronology District Court 1952 Guilty High Court 1953 Appeal is denied Supreme Court Later Actions 1966 Real criminal comes forward and confesses. 1968 Real criminal is found innocent. 1976 Retrial is reopened. 1978 Not Guilty. State Redress Suit (Civil Court) 84/06 Tokyo D. C. Denied. 88/04 Tokyo H. C. Denied. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yoshida 吉田岩窟王 吉田石松老王事件 1913/08/13 |
Yoshida Ishimatsu |
Murder, Robbery |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yura 由良 Hyogo |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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綾瀬母子強盗殺人事件 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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高隅事件 （鹿児島夫婦殺し事件) |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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市原両親殺害事件 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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浅虫 青森浅虫温泉放火事件 Aomori |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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湯河（湯河原放火事件） |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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八丈 八丈島事件 |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Yamagata Meirin Middle School 1993 |
Seven defendants--name witheld because all are minors. |
Murder and Robbery |
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Summary The accused were found guilty of wrapping another student in a large gym mat which resulted in his death. Found guilty in the criminal courts, they were absolved of guilt in a civil trial. Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions Defendant Currently Housed at |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Summary Court Chronology District Court High Court Supreme Court Later Actions |
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