The Supreme Court of Japan has approved a retrial for the notorious Hino Town murder case from 1984, where Hiroshi Sakuhara, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime, died in prison in 2011. The case involves the murder of a female store owner in Hino Town, Shiga Prefecture, whose body was discovered alongside a stolen safe. Concerns arose regarding the integrity of the original investigation, particularly points raised by the defense about false confessions and procedural missteps in police investigations that may have unjustly implicated Sakuhara.

The court noted that inconsistencies in the evidence and the possibility that police may have inadvertently led Sakuhara to the crime scene for reenactments raise doubts about his guilt. New testimonies, particularly from acquaintances asserting that Sakuhara had an alibi on the day of the murder, further contributed to the court's decision to grant the retrial. This case represents a unique instance where posthumous justice is sought, and if the retrial confirms his innocence, it will be only the second time in Japan's post-war history that a murder case has been formally reopened after the defendant's death.

As the new retrial is set to take place in Otsu District Court, it highlights the ongoing challenges within Japan's criminal justice system regarding wrongful convictions and the importance of thorough investigations. This case not only brings to light the tragic circumstances surrounding Sakuhara’s wrongful conviction but also raises questions about the reliability of police procedures and the safeguards in place to prevent miscarriages of justice in future cases.