The head of the prefectural police department responsible for investigating former death-row inmate Hakamada Iwao has apologized to the 88-year-old in person on behalf of the police.
The apology comes after Hakamada’s acquittal in the retrial of a 1966 murder case was finalized earlier this month.
Tsuda Takayoshi, the chief of the Shizuoka prefectural police, visited Hakamada’s home in the prefecture’s Hamamatsu City on Monday.
Tsuda apologized, saying he could not express in words the distress and burden that Hakamada experienced for the 58 long years from his arrest to his acquittal.
He said the Shizuoka prefectural police would make every effort to carry out more accurate and appropriate investigations.
Hakamada’s elder sister Hideko, who was present during the apology, said that as the incident occurred so long ago, she has no intention of complaining to the police at this point.
Hakamada was sitting on a sofa when he received the apology. Hideko said he appeared nervous.
Hakamada was sentenced to death on charges of killing a family of four in the prefecture. He continued to maintain his innocence after his death sentence was finalized in 1980.
In the retrial, the Shizuoka District Court gave a not-guilty ruling on September 26.
The Supreme Public Prosecutors Office announced its decision not to appeal on October 8, and the Shizuoka District Public Prosecutors Office waived its right to appeal Hakamada’s acquittal the next day.