Overview
- On January 8, the defense for 98-year-old Ayako Haraguchi submitted a fifth retrial petition to the Kagoshima District Court.
- The petition argues the victim died from causes other than homicide at a time earlier than the final judgment recognized.
- New materials include clinical and forensic medical opinions, an emergency-responder assessment of rescue care, and evaluations of statements from a psychology perspective.
- Lower courts once ordered retrials in the first and third petitions, but higher courts overturned those decisions, and the Supreme Court rejected a fourth bid in February 2025.
- Because of Haraguchi’s age, her daughter filed as the applicant, and on January 9 supporters including Iwao Hakamada’s sister visited to encourage her and urge retrial law reform.