この英訳は、２０２４年９月２６日、静岡地方裁判所が、被告人袴田巌氏に言い渡した「無罪」判決の要旨（第１部）の英訳版（暫定）である。本件に関心を持つ内外の人たちに迅速な情報提供をするために訳出し、ここに公表する。

２０２４年９月３０日
一般社団法人刑事司法未来
代表　石塚伸一（龍谷大学名誉教授、弁護士）

【事件の概要】
本件は、現在の静岡市清水区で1966年6月30日未明、みそ製造会社の専務（当41歳）方から出火し、ほぼ全焼した。焼け跡から専務一家4人の遺体が見つかり、住み込み従業員の袴田巌さんが強盗殺人・放火容疑などで逮捕され、その後起訴された。袴田さんは同年11月の初公判で否認し、以降は一貫して無実を訴えた。80年に最高裁で死刑判決が確定した。

袴田氏の姉 秀子さんは、2008年4月に第2次再審請求を申し立て、静岡地裁は14年3月、再審開始を認めると同時に死刑と拘置の執行停止を決め、袴田さんは約48年ぶりに釈放された。一方、検察は地裁決定を不服として即時抗告。東京高裁は2018年6月、一転して再審請求を棄却したが、最高裁は2020年12月に審理不尽の違法があるとして高裁決定を取り消し、審理を差し戻した。高裁は2023年3月、検察の即時抗告を棄却し、捜査機関によって証拠が捏造された可能性が極めて高いと判断。検察が特別抗告を断念したため、再審開始が確定した。

[Intriduction]
This English translation is a translation of the Summary Part 1 of the judgment of  ‘not guilty’ handed down by the SHIZUOKA District Court on 26 September 2024 to the accused, Iwao HAKAMATA. It is a provisional English translation intended to provide information to people abroad who are interested in the case. A translation of the full text of the judgment will also be considered.

[HAKAMATA Case]
In the early hours of 30 June 1966, a fire broke out in what is now SHIMIZU Ward, SHIZUOKA City, near the then (41-year-old) managing director of a miso manufacturing company, and almost destroyed the building. The bodies of four members of the managing director’s family were found in the burnt-out ruins, and a live-in employee, Mr. HAKAMATA, was arrested and subsequently charged with robbery, murder and arson. In 1980, the Supreme Court confirmed his death sentence. In April 2008, Mr. HAKAMATA’s sister Miss Hideko filed a second request for a retrial, and in March 2002 the SHIZUOKA District Court granted a retrial and suspended the execution of the death penalty and his detention, releasing Mr. HAKAMATA for the first time in nearly 48 years. The prosecution, however, appealed against the district court’s decision immediately. In June 2006, the TOKYO High Court turned around and dismissed the request for a retrial, but in December 2008 the Supreme Court reversed the High Court decision and sent the case back to the trial court on the grounds that the trial was illegal and inexhaustible. In March 2011, the High Court dismissed the prosecution’s immediate appeal and ruled that there was a very high possibility that evidence had been fabricated by the investigating authorities. As the prosecution declined to file a special appeal, the commencement of the retrial was confirmed.

On 26 September 2024, the SHIZUOKA District Court (Chief Judge Tsuneo KUNII) handed down a not guilty verdict against Mr. HAKAMATA. This is the first time that a death-row inmate has been acquitted in a retrial in Japan since the four in the 1980s.

[Subject]
The accused is found not guilty.

[Reason]

1. Summary of the facts of the prosecution
2. Summary of the circumstances leading up to the retrial and the course of proceedings in the case
3. Issues in the case and the Court’s summary of its decision – The issue in the case is the culpability of the accused

[the retrial and the course of proceedings in the case]
Second: Outline of the circumstances leading up to the retrial trial of the case and the course of the proceedings.
Nov. 1966: Denied at first trial. Since then, he has consistently maintained his innocence.
Dec. 1980: Death sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court.
April 2008: Petition for second retrial filed.
March 2014: Shizuoka District Court decides to start a retrial. Execution of death penalty and detention suspended (first release in 48 years).
Prosecutor files an immediate appeal against the district court decision.
June 2018: Tokyo High Court dismisses the request for a retrial.
Defense lodges a special appeal.
Dec. 2020: Supreme Court quashes and returns the High Court decision on the grounds that there was an illegal lack of trial.
March 2023: Prosecution’s immediate appeal against the ruling is dismissed. Prosecution declines special appeal. Commencement of retrial confirmed

【袴田判決】（２）第１部　英　訳（速報版）

【袴田判決】（３）第１部　日本語

★活動継続をめざして、クラウドファンディングを実施中★
　ぜひ、こちらからご支援ください。https://readyfor.jp/projects/CJF