Police apologize at grave of Japanese businessman who was wrongfully arrested and died after lengthy detention

Japan’s Law Enforcement Officials Apologize for Wrongful Arrest and Detention of Businessman

Japan’s top law enforcement officials have taken a significant step towards acknowledging the country’s “hostage justice” practice, where investigators use lengthy pretrial detentions to coerce confessions. In a rare display of accountability, senior officials from the Tokyo police, the top public prosecutor’s department, and the Tokyo prosecutor’s office visited the family and grave of Shizuo Aishima, a businessman who was wrongfully arrested and died after a months-long detention.

Aishima, a former adviser to machinery firm Ohkawara Kakohki, was one of three company executives illegally held in pretrial detention for months on charges that were later dropped. The charges alleged that the executives had illegally exported spray dryers capable of producing biological weapons, which they argued were legal. Aishima was diagnosed with progressive cancer in October 2020, but prosecutors kept him detained, arguing that he could destroy evidence if released.

Tetsuro Kamata from Japan’s National Police Agency (3rd L) and two other officials from the prosecutor’s office apologize in front of the grave of Shizuo Aishima, who was falsely accused of unauthorized export of sensitive equipment and died after prolonged detention, in Yokohama on Aug. 25, 2025.
STR/JAPAN POOL/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images

During a televised meeting with the family, Tetsuro Kamata, deputy superintendent-general of Tokyo Metropolitan Police, said, “We sincerely apologize for conducting the illegal investigation and arrest.” Aishima’s wife accepted the apology but stated that she would not be able to forgive. The family’s lawyer, Tsuyoshi Takada, emphasized the need for a change in the attitudes of judges, stating, “We need to change the mistaken attitudes of all judges… The court must learn from this and think about what they can do so that there won’t be more victims of ‘hostage justice’ in the future.”

Call for Reform and Accountability

The Tokyo High Court found that the investigation, arrests, and indictment were illegal and not supported by evidence. The police and prosecutors have apologized directly to the company and others, acknowledging the lack of fundamental investigative principles and a dysfunctional chain of command. Aishima’s eldest son expressed mixed feelings about the apologies and requested a new investigation of the case, stating, “I take them as a step forward, as they acknowledged the unlawfulness of the arrest, detention requests, and prosecution… I cannot accept the findings of your reviews and the disciplinary actions taken.”

Human rights campaigners have long demanded an end to Japan’s “hostage justice” practice, which has been criticized for its potential to coerce confessions and violate human rights. The case highlights the need for reform and accountability within Japan’s law enforcement and judicial systems. For more information on this case and the ongoing efforts to address “hostage justice” in Japan, visit Here

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