85-year-old man acquitted of 1985 murder in retrial

One of Miyata's sons, Makoto, 60, who listened to the ruling inside the courtroom, said prosecutors "refused until the end" to accept the contradiction between evidence and Miyata's forced confession.

"It is regrettable it ended without them offering any apologies," he said at the press conference.

This paragraph makes my blood boil. What low-life scum. There needs to come an end to these forced confessions. How many people are locked up innocently because of forced confessions I wonder now.

Now we know how the justice system here works. Day by day I'm learning about the real Japan, behind its friendly and honest facade.

Do you think it's a problem unique to Japan? Perhaps you should inform yourself more and you will see that the reality is different.

Do you think it's a problem unique to Japan? 

Unless you consider Japan to be a third world country, and I guess you don't, Japan is undeniably not up to the standards of other industrialized countries with modern societies when it comes to its justice system. This is a fact, you like it or not.

Japan does have a real problem with its archaic justice system which gives too much power to prosecutors and which does not respect the rights of the defense as a fundamental human right principle.

Do you think it's a problem unique to Japan? Perhaps you should inform yourself more and you will see that the reality is different.

Since I have known Japan, now for well over 20 years, I have always recognised it as being about 20 to 30 years behind other developed nations in how it works. This ranges from women's rights, to those of minorities, to police corruption.

It is still behind, but I was always a little indulgent, and thought that Japan was a medieval society just 150 years ago, so it has advanced pretty rapidly. However, that might still be seen as a somewhat patronizing and even racist view.

Zero compensation. In fact, I think they only reason it a trial was held is because the guy is bedridden and senile. If here were still able to function normally, I am convinced not a thing would have been done. The prosecutors in the original case should be held accountable, and there should be compensation from the state. But this is Japan -- they BARELY decided the guy shouldn't serve a fresh year in prison for the Swords and Firearms law breach after wrongfully imprisoning him for so long. Is it any wonder this nation is so behind in human rights?

Do you think it's a problem unique to Japan? Perhaps you should inform yourself more and you will see that the reality is different.

So it happens elsewhere. Do you think that makes it aright?

You have to wonder... a bit at least. How many other sorry souls are there?

More than a few I would suggest. 99% seems so certain.

Not a problem until one of your loved ones becomes a number.

Foolish comment:

“Do you think it's a problem unique to Japan? Perhaps you should inform yourself more and you will see that the reality is different.”

Japan is a developed nation, it can set examples, it doesn’t belong in the third world or dictator league of standards.

Day by day I'm learning about the real Japan, behind its friendly and honest facade.

Let this be a warning to anyone who wishes to come here, for whatever reason.

I have been stating for years now, Japan is no different than any other country on the planet. It has it's good points and bad points, and folks need to leave the rose colored glasses on their seat in the airplane BEFORE they get off.

There is much to love AND hate about Japan, just don't be deceived!

Not pointing at anyone here.....leave the Nathan Algren crap at the door too!

Not a problem until one of your loved ones becomes a number.

AKA; Omote-NASHI!

Perhaps you should inform yourself more and you will see that the reality is different.

except in most democratic countries a confession isnt the only thing that requires a quilty verdict, evidence also needs to be shown, prosecutors also are fined arrested, even imprisoned if they've found to have tampered with evidence or forced a false confession from a defendant. In Japan well you know what has happened and continues to happen, makes that 99% conviction rate look like total BS now doesn't it.

Heartbreaking to see him on the news, in the care home.

Another reason to end the barbaric death penalty.

Japan, technologically, is 1st-World for the most part. Psychologically, 3rd-World to the point of being medieval.

Do you think it's a problem unique to Japan? Perhaps you should inform yourself more and you will see that the reality is different.

Well, it depends...in my country is the legal principle that one is considered innocent unless proven guilty and the burden of proof is on the one who declares, not on one who denies...

that means more criminals OUT than IN...:-)

@zichi - sort of agree with you. Though I'd take things a bit further, the whole Criminal justice system needs rethinking. Simply putting a person in prison for example.... what's the objective ? Protecting Society ?

A Rich man who swindles money out of the poor, should rather than being wasted in Prison, be put to work helping the Poor. That would be far more productive and beneficial for Society.

A Poor person who steals bread to live, is a failure of our Society and should be helped to find a role that can both contribute and provide for themselves.

Prison should only be used for those who are deemed a danger to others, and themselves. The Death Penalty, should only be reserved for those who are beyond any reasonable course of correction and are deemed a danger to the Society as a whole... though this one need careful consideration to avoid Political manipulation.

Clearly Japan needs to NO LONGER allow ANY confessions, prosecutors are a bunch of CRIMINALS, they need to do their damned jobs, PROVE their cases, surely that should not be too much to ask, but alas it sadly IS too much to ask

Quote: "There is no evidence that shows the defendant was the culprit and the court cannot accept he committed the murder," said Presiding Judge Yoshihisa Mizokuni...

And it took over 34 years to reach this conclusion. Thirty-four years. The police and the courts did a great job in ruining this innocent man's life.

that means more criminals OUT than IN...:-)

Yes. In my native country a decision of guilt by a jury must be beyond all reasonable doubt.

In my native country we put such a high value on human life and liberty that we would put up with 99 guilty people be free, rather than have 1 innocent person be deprived of their liberty.

"There is no evidence that shows the defendant was the culprit and the court cannot accept he committed the murder,"

Can we please prosecute the prosecutors if they're still alive and sentence them to prison?

Cases like this highlight the need for recording of interviews and for defendants lawyers to be present

“ You have the Right to Remain Silent”.

If ever charged with a crime in Japan, I suggest you do EXACTLY that.

I have been stating for years now, Japan is no different than any other country on the planet. It has it's good points and bad points, and folks need to leave the rose colored glasses on their seat in the airplane BEFORE they get off.

It is very refreshing to see this honest comment. There are many, many good points to Japan, but there is a dark side as well. Years of Japan apologists (those wearing rose tinted spectacles) have actually exasperated Japans problems (and the justice system is one serious problem) by making constant excuses and so nothing gets done to correct this.

I cannot exactly remember where I read this, it was so long ago (possibly in Maruzen bookstore, Nihomnbashi), but the 23 days detention was a concession given to Japan after WW2 when the new constitution was established (which contradicts Art.34). Japan feared tens of thousands of other Asians, entering the country and commit crimes, and intact revenge.

Well, if this is correct, this concession has been seems to have been abused by the authorities.

so sad, so evil to ruin his life, not only his but his families as well. imagine how much pain he suffered knowing he was being blamed, those prosecutors and whoever involved should be in jail for 34 years to compensate his lost and pain, so they can think twice before putting out an verdict.

Foolish comment:

“Do you think it's a problem unique to Japan? Perhaps you should inform yourself more and you will see that the reality is different.”

Japan is a developed nation, it can set examples, it doesn’t belong in the third world or dictator league of standards

I have explained myself wrongly, I do not say that it is correct or that it is justifying it, I have simply said that it is something that happens in other places, great judicial errors are and have always been news. I will not defend something that is obviously bad, even if it is in Japan and I love your country a lot.