Hello and welcome to “NHK Newsline.” We’re starting in central Japan where a lower court has acquitted an 88-year-old man who had been convicted of committing a mass murder more than half a century ago. The judge accused the investigative authorities of having fabricated key evidence. The retrial concluded with a ruling Thursday at the Shizuoka District Court. Hakamada Iwao was accused in 1966 of killing his boss and the man’s family at a miso soybean paste factory where he worked. Hakamada maintained his innocence even after his death sentence was finalized in 1980. The court gave the go-ahead to a retrial in 2014 and released him after he had spent 48 years in detention. Prosecutors appealed the ruling. The retrial finally got underway last year. The main point of contention was the color of bloodstains on five pieces of clothing. They were found in a miso tank 14 months after the deaths. The items served as crucial evidence that led to Hakamada’s conviction. Defense lawyers said experts who conducted forensic analysis found the clothes would not retain a red hue after being buried under miso paste for more than one year. ..... This is the fifth time in postwar Japan for a court to rule in retrial of a defendant whose death sentence has been finalized. All of them resulted in acquittals. While Hakamada was not well enough to attend court for the judgment, his sister Hideko was there. She has long supported him.
“We have had to go without summer or New Year’s holidays for a long time. We have been separated from the outside world,” she said.
He sent letters pleading his innocence. This one reads, “I am not the culprit. I’m shouting this with all my heart, praying that my voice will reach everyone.” Hideko vowed to keep fighting until her brother was found innocent. She continues to visit Hakamada’s prison facility and appealed for retrial. When he was released, he was no longer able to communicate well. It was due to effects of being detained so long under the fear of the death penalty. “He doesn’t say anything, but more than 40 years, that must have been an incredible amount of time,” Hideko spoke with reporters ahead of Thursday’s ruling. “It’s been a long battle. I feel we have been fighting an invisible opponent for more than 40 years. I’ve always believed that my brother is innocent. That’s what drives me.”
Our reporter was in the courthouse as the judgment came out. She explains how Hakamada’s case connects to a broader issue in Japan. "It was an emotional scene as a judge announced the decision. People clapped their hands in the courtroom. Hakamada’s sister Hideko aboard on his behalf. She bowed deeply to the judge. This trial attracted a lot of attention, not just in Japan, but also around the world. It put the spotlight on some fundamental problems in the judicial system. Hakamada applied for the retrial more than 40 years ago. Critics say it’s a disgrace that he had to wait so long. The rules regarding retrials took effect 100 years ago, but there are no details in an ordinary trial and the rules have never been revised. Critics are pushing for change. The Japan Federation of the Bar Association points out two main problems. First, there are no detailed rules on the disclosure of evidence that makes access difficult for a defendant. Evidence, of course, is key when trying to convince a judge to order a retrial. Problems is prior toers may appeal decisions to allow retrials. It points out – evidence, of course, is key when trying to convince a judge to order a retrial. The federation says another problem is prosecutors may appeal decisions to allow retrials. It points out England, Germany, and France ban prosecutors from doing that. France revised their law ten years ago. That made it easier for defendants to access evidence before they request a retrial. In Japan, lawmakers have been discussing legislation and procedures for retrials. The nonpartisan group numbers almost 350. In June, they met the justice minister and submitted a petition for reform. The judgment made here is a big moment in the history of Japan’s judicial system. It’s also a big moment for Hakamada, but it has come far too late. All the time in detention has taken a big toll on his mental state. He’s now 88 years old and has spent so much of his life trying to prove his innocence.
The United States and its allies are calling for a 21-day cease-fire in Lebanon. Hundreds have died amid fighting there between Israel and the Shia Muslim group Hezbollah. The White House released the statement Wednesday. Japan, the European Union, and Saudi Arabia also co-signed the letter. It calls for a diplomatic settlement to allow civilians to return to their homes, but the group cautioned that diplomacy cannot succeed amid escalation. Israel has suggested it’s considering a ground invasion of Lebanon. The U.N. Security Council also held an emergency meeting Wednesday to discuss the conflict. France’s minister for Europe and foreign affairs put forward the proposal. He said they were counting on both parties to accept and begin negotiations. Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Meron, responded, saying Israel does not want a full-blown war, but he said his country is within its rights to neutralize the threat. He said Israel faced a new wave of attacks in the last 24 hours.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling on the world to support his peace plan. He said it was the only way to stop Russia’s invasion of his country. Zelenskyy spoke before the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday. “And maybe somebody wants a Nobel Prize for their political biography for frozen truce, instead of real peace. But the only prize Putin will give you is more suffering and disasters.” Zelenskyy said the U.N. is powerless to stop the war. He pointed to Russia’s veto power as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. Meanwhile, at a Russian meeting on nuclear deterrence, Putin hinted at using nuclear weapons. “If an attack against Russia comes from a nation without nuclear weapons, if it’s supported by a nuclear weapons state, we should consider it a joint attack,” Putin said. He said Moscow must consider the shifting military and political situation. Ukraine has been asking the West to green light the use of long-range weapons to attack Russian targets. Putin also said his country would consider deploying nuclear weapons if it saw many missiles and aircraft crossing the Russian border.
A Japanese destroyer has passed through the Taiwan Strait. It’s the first time since a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer has sailed through the area. Sources say the destroyer Sazanami traveled through the strait Wednesday to join a multinational exercise in the South China Sea. They say navy vessels from Australia and New Zealand also passed through the waterway. The United States and other nations claim the Taiwan Strait to be international waters and open to all navy vessels. But China has protested every time a Western warship passed through it. Observers say the first transit by a Japanese destroyer appears intended to underscore freedom of navigation.
The governor has agreed to lose his seat after a no-confidence vote last week. But Hyogo plans to run for re-election. “I will lose my job on Monday, without dissolving the assembly. And I will run in the next gubernatorial election. I have been criticized for what I’ve done, things that people consider to be wrong. I think it’s important for me to seek public approval on my own.” Saito has been accused of power harassment and other misconduct. The prefecture assembly passed a no-confidence motion against him last Thursday. He was given until September 29th to resign, lose his post or dissolve the assembly. The gubernatorial election is going to be held within 50 days of his exit. Japan has seen four other cases of a no-confidence motion against a prefecture governor. In those cases, the assembly was never dissolved.
And now, let’s check out the world weather with our meteorologist Yuumi Hirano.
We have tropical systems over the Pacific. The system near Japan is not expected to develop but will bring a lot of moisture to the mainland of the country. Tokyo may see heavy downpours on Friday and Saturday, with risks of flash floods and strong winds. Wet weather is likely in Tokyo, Taipei, and Hong Kong. But heat is a concern with a high of 38°C.
Moving through the Americas, Hurricane Helene has gone to the Yucatan Peninsula and western Cuba. Helene brought rain and high winds to Mexico and Cuba on Wednesday. Part of the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba had 200 millimeters of rain in 24 hours. The hurricane flooded streets, knocked down trees, and destroyed homes and crops. Hurricane and tropical storm warnings are in effect for western Cuba as well as Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Due to above-average sea temperatures, the system is expected to develop into a major hurricane and to make landfall in Florida on Thursday evening. Storm surges and hurricane-force winds are likely. On top of that, total rainfall could be over 400 millimeters from northern Florida to North Carolina. People should watch out for multiple floods and landslides. The moisture and the frontal system will bring heavy downpours along the East. Showers are likely in New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. Sunny skies are coming in Chicago and Denver.
That’s it for me. Stay safe.
And that wraps up this edition of “NHK Newsline.” Thanks for joining us.
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