S/ Hakamada Iwao, Acquitted in retrial / I can't wait to say these words, but victory through acquittal has come to fruit. We finally claimed complete victory, so I happily came to see you.

S/ Hakamada Hideko, Iwao's sister / Say thank you.

S/ Hakamada Iwao, Acquitted in retrial / Thank you very much.
 

Hakamada Iwao shared his feelings with supporters in Shizuoka on September 29, three days after he was acquitted of murder in a retrial. His sister Hideko also spoke at the event organized by the Shizuoka Bar Association. 

On September 26, the Shizuoka District Court acquitted the 88-year-old man after recognizing that three sets of evidence initially used against him were fabricated by investigators. 

Hakamada was sentenced to death in 1968 over the murder of a family of four two years earlier in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. The acquittal will become final if prosecutors do not appeal by the deadline of October 10.