The Meaning of Continuing to Believe: Thoughts on the Hakamada Case
Every time I see this news, I tear up.
It was widely reported last week that Iwao Hakamada, who had been on death row for 58 years following a case in which four members of a family were murdered in Shizuoka Prefecture, was acquitted.
This case attracted international attention from a human rights perspective because Hakamada had been imprisoned as a death row inmate for 48 years. In this verdict, the Shizuoka District Court condemned the investigative authorities for fabricating evidence.
Following the acquittal, many articles have already been posted on note as well.
Thinking of Hakamada, who was incarcerated while exposed to the fear of death for nearly 50 years due to a wrongful conviction, I feel a sense of helplessness.What is the criminal justice system that is supposed to realize justice?. Some newspapers also apologized for their reporting at the time, which makes one reflect on the nature of journalism.
Since there must be a true culprit, the case remains a mystery, but what I wanted to write about here is the feelings of his older sister, Hideko Hakamada, for her younger brother, Iwao. Now 91 years old, Hideko has continued to believe in her brother's innocence and has supported him devotedly for over half a century.
At the time of the incident, when there was little awareness of wrongful convictions, she must have been met with cold stares from society and must have endured unimaginable hardship.
Even if one says it is natural to support family, continuing to believe in someone takes strength, and it requires absolute love and a bond of trust.
“There is no way that quiet and kind Iwao could kill anyone”—driven by this thought, Hideko sacrificed everything and spent her life clearing her brother's name.
I truly take my hat off to her strength and conviction; it is a subject that would not be out of place in a Hollywood movie.
If I were in the same situation, I would certainly believe in and support my family, but 58 years is unimaginably long. I would likely break down first.
The Hakamada case is a tragedy not only for the victims but also for Hakamada himself, whose life was stolen by a wrongful conviction.
Amidst all this, the sister's power to keep believing in her brother and her tenacity to clear his name are more moving than any drama.
〈Since I believe that even among noters, there are various ways of thinking about a single issue, I have avoided taking up specific news and writing articles about my own thoughts. This time, I have penned my thoughts from the perspective of the nobility of a sister continuing to believe in her brother for a lifetime〉