In a rare and profound act of contrition, Japan’s top law enforcement officials have formally apologized for the “hostage justice” system that led to the wrongful arrest and death of businessman Shizuo Aishima. Senior figures from the Tokyo police and prosecutor’s office visited Aishima’s grave and family to express their remorse for the illegal investigation.
This case highlights the long-criticized practice in Japan where prosecutors use extended pre-trial detentions to extract confessions. Consequently, human rights groups have branded this system as hostage justice.
Senior Officials Offer Grave Apology
The officials, including Tetsuro Kamata from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, knelt and prayed at Aishima’s grave in Yokohama. “We sincerely apologize for conducting the illegal investigation and arrest,” Kamata stated during a televised meeting with the family. This direct action follows a Tokyo High Court ruling that the entire investigation, arrest, and indictment were illegal and unsupported by evidence.
Aishima, a former adviser to machinery firm Ohkawara Kakohki, was arrested in 2020. He and two colleagues were falsely accused of illegally exporting spray dryers. The courts repeatedly authorized their lengthy detention.
A Tragic Outcome of a Flawed System
Despite a cancer diagnosis in October 2020, prosecutors successfully argued to keep Aishima detained. They claimed he could destroy evidence if released. He was finally admitted to a hospital a month later but passed away in February 2021.
Furthermore, his two colleagues were released that same month under conditions that prevented them from seeing him before his death. Ultimately, prosecutors dropped all charges, prompting the family to sue the authorities.
Calls for Systemic Judicial Reform
The family’s lawyer, Tsuyoshi Takada, emphasized that this was not an isolated error. He stated the detention “was not the mistake of a single judge.” Instead, he called for a change in the “mistaken attitudes of all judges” to prevent future victims of hostage justice.
While Aishima’s wife accepted the apology, she stated she “won’t be able to forgive.” Her eldest son expressed mixed feelings, calling the apology a “step forward” but rejecting the findings of internal reviews. He has requested a new investigation into the case.
This event marks a significant moment of public accountability within Japan’s criminal justice system.
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