Prosecutors apologize to man jailed for 1990 murder

Thursday 11th June, 07:55 AM JST

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mansen at 10:27 AM JST - 11th June

I think the government should impose a mandatory dna test to keep on record for babies born from now on. 20-30 yrs from now, this record could help solve homicides, etc. I wonder if that will interfer with right of privacy.
sakurasuki at 10:41 AM JST - 11th June

Prosecutors on Wednesday made a rare apology

Ok next on the lists are police and judge they should apologize one to Sugaya and one to the family victim.
thundercat at 10:47 AM JST - 11th June

So, this guy was stitched up 19 years ago. Since that time I wonder how many more innocent people have been framed by these 'police' and 'prosecutors'? Every case that has been handled by these people in the last 19 years should be reviewed... but I won't hold my breath for that. Glad to see an innocent person set free. There will probably be a surge in the next few years as DNA is retested in other cases.
timtak at 10:50 AM JST - 11th June

"is unlikely to have been the culprit!" (the original Japanese is 真犯人と思われない人　"hanin to omowarenai hito." = "is thought not to be the culprit")

It sounds a bit like the police still think he did it! Ouch. They could have at least put the think verb in the active, to show that they themselves believe he is innocent (not that some might believe he is innocent). It would be nicer if they used a stronger verb than "think," e.g. "believe" (kakushin).

"We are sorry to have put someone who we believe to be innocent behind bars."

As it stands, people are going to think that he is still a suspect! Bad.
mansen at 10:57 AM JST - 11th June

I feel sorry for the victim's parents. They thought they had closure since they caught him. Hard to imagine what they are going through now. Do they really believe he is not the killer anymore? How are they going to break the news infront of their daughter's tomb.
jonnyboy at 11:03 AM JST - 11th June

"is unlikely to have been the culprit!" (the original Japanese is 真犯人と思われない人　"hanin to omowarenai hito." = "is thought not to be the culprit") It sounds a bit like the police still think he did it! Ouch. They could have at least put the think verb in the active, to show that they themselves believe he is innocent (not that some might believe he is innocent). It would be nicer if they used a stronger verb than "think," e.g. "believe" (kakushin). "We are sorry to have put someone who we believe to be innocent behind bars." As it stands, people are going to think that he is still a suspect! Bad.

or they're trying to play down the fact that they put the wrong man behind bars
timtak at 11:06 AM JST - 11th June

or they're trying to play down the fact that they put the wrong man behind bars

If so, not nice. It is time to be unequivocal, at least from their own subjective standpoint.
desmosedici at 12:28 PM JST - 11th June

I think I heard that he is entitled to 20 million yen for the years spent in jail, plus a yet to be decided lump sum. From the pool of tax money. In the news I hear a lot of talk about this DNA stuff, but very little as to how this person was treated by the cops. When the cops came to his house, he was elbowed from the start and during questioning had his hair pulled and was kicked repeatedly. I trust they will have a talk with those "investigators"?
Hoolie at 03:11 PM JST - 11th June

"is unlikely to have been the culprit!" (the original Japanese is 真犯人と思われない人　"hanin to omowarenai hito." = "is thought not to be the culprit")

Timtak, omowarenai is more accurately translated as "cannot be considered as the culprit." re vs. ra. It's a pretty unambiguous statement.
thedeath at 03:21 PM JST - 11th June

instead of demanding an apology, he should demand to jail the cops involved in his case for like... 17 years.
Bungalow at 03:27 PM JST - 11th June

isnt it wise to review all the cases based on DNA test now that we know one had gone wrong?
brotokyo at 05:26 PM JST - 11th June

All the money immaginable can never return years lost for this unfortunte soul. Prison from his 40s till 62. My heart feels for Mr Sugaya. I hope he gets multi, multi-millions, after a TRUE apology. However, if/when they properly compensate him with our tax money, I expect an apology as well.
jonnyboy at 05:33 PM JST - 11th June

isnt it wise to review all the cases based on DNA test now that we know one had gone wrong?

cue statement: "this was an isolated incident. there were no other mistakes"
hellhound at 08:46 PM JST - 11th June

yeah, they should give him 1 million dollars and a house and a flatscreen TV and a jacuzzi and a lifetime free pizza at Pizza Hut
ThonTaddeo at 09:28 PM JST - 11th June

A year of the man's labor may be worth Y5 million, but a job is 40 hours per day and this man was in prison for every hour, waking and sleeping. I say each year in prison is worth at least two or three years of labor in the free world.