Yamada Hideo, the head of the Shizuoka District Public Prosecutors Office, apologized directly to former death row inmate Hakamada Iwao on November 27.  

Hakamada, who is the longest-serving death-row inmate in the world, was found not guilty in September in a retrial of the murder of a family of four in Shizuoka Prefecture some 58 years ago.  

As the prosecution waived its right to appeal the ruling in October, Hakamada was acquitted on all charges and released from prison.  

As a result, Chief Public Prosecutor Yamada visited Hakamada's home in Hamamatsu and apologized, mentioning directly that Hakamada is no longer a suspect. 

S/ Yamada Hideo, Chief Public Prosecutor: I would like to tell you directly that I have no intention of saying that Mr. Hakamada is the culprit in this case, nor do I consider him to be the culprit. Once again, I am very sorry.  

S/ Hakamada Iwao: Please understand that a decision has been made as to how far we will go in the fight. That is the end of the matter. 

His sister Hideko, who received the prosecutor’s apology, had this to say. 

S/ Hakamada Hideko, Sister: This will make him less of a death-row inmate. It is better for you to do this kind of thing to let Iwao understand.  

In October, Prosecutor General of Japan Unemoto Naomi had expressed dissatisfaction with the retrial court's finding of falsification of evidence by the investigative authorities.

Though the chief prosecutor apologized, the statement was not withdrawn.