Longest Time on Death Row: A Triumph of Justice for Iwao Hakamada

Iwao Hakamada, 88, spent 45 years on death row and was acquitted of a 1966 murder in a retrial. His exoneration marked the end of his family's nearly six-decade fight for justice. DNA evidence proved crucial in overturning his wrongful conviction.

Iwao Hakamada, claimed to have spent the longest time on death row in the world, was acquitted of murder on Thursday. This decision by the Shizuoka district court concludes his family's relentless pursuit of justice after almost six decades.

Hakamada, 88, was convicted for the murder of his former boss and family in 1966, leading to a death sentence upheld by Japan's Supreme Court in 1980. However, doubts about the evidence prompted a 2014 release and a retrial.

DNA tests revealed that bloodstains on clothes said to be Hakamada's were not his, leading to his exoneration. Rights groups like Amnesty International highlighted this as a pivotal moment, urging Japan to reconsider the death penalty.

(With inputs from agencies.)