Japanese Police and Prosecutors Bow in Apology at Grave of Wrongfully Accused Businessman

In a rare and solemn gesture, senior officials from Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department and the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office visited the gravesite of Shizuo Aishima—an adviser to machinery firm Ohkawara Kakohki—on August 25 in Yokohama. They laid flowers and bowed before the tombstone alongside Aishima’s grieving wife and two sons, offering a heartfelt apology for his wrongful arrest and ensuing detention.
Aishima had been accused in early 2020 of illegally exporting spray dryers that were alleged to be dual-use equipment. He was held in pretrial detention for months, during which he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Despite his deteriorating health, prosecutors denied his bail requests eight times, only allowing his release when his condition worsened; he died in February 2021 before the charges were eventually dropped.
“ We sincerely apologize for conducting the illegal investigation and arrest,” said Tetsuro Kamata, deputy superintendent-general of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. His remarks reflected the findings of a recent internal review, which concluded that procedural breakdowns and dysfunction within the investigative chain had led to the wrongful arrests. Prosecutors also expressed regret, acknowledging that the detentions violated human rights and had caused significant distress to the family.
Although some of Aishima’s colleagues had previously received apologies, his family was not present at those events. Aishima’s wife responded afterward, saying, “I accept the apology, but I won’t be able to forgive.” The incident has sparked renewed calls for reform, particularly regarding Japan’s pretrial detention practices, often criticized as "hostage justice," where suspects are held for extended periods to extract confessions.
Authorities have pledged to improve investigative protocols and ensure that such miscarriages of justice do not recur.

Sources: CBS News, BBC News, The Independent.