The Supreme Court of Japan's Second Petty Bench has approved a retrial for Hiroshi Sahara, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1984 murder of a liquor store owner in Hino, Shiga Prefecture. The decision follows a prolonged legal battle initiated by Sahara in 2001, which faced numerous challenges, including the complexity of legal procedures often dubbed as a "door that won't open." Throughout the years, Sahara's defense team continued to investigate and uncover irregularities regarding the police's handling of the evidence against him. As they tried to retrace the steps leading to the recovery of stolen items, they began to question the integrity of the initial investigation and the pressure that may have influenced Sahara’s confessions.

Key facets of this case revolve around the examination of police documentation, which included a record of Sahara's guided walkthrough of the crime scene, suggested to be orchestrated under police supervision. In their search, the defense attorneys, particularly attorney Toyoichi Tanida, focused on evaluating the photographs attached to the police report. A particular concern arose when they noted the lack of visual evidence from the most confusing areas of the site and discrepancies in the order of the photographs. This led the defense to call for the disclosure of the negative film used to produce these photos, hinting at the potential to uncover more evidence critical to Sahara's innocence.

Tragically, around the time the legal team sought new evidence, Sahara passed away at age 75, raising concerns among his family about the pursuit of justice posthumously. Following his death, the victims' family took it upon themselves to file a second retrial request in 2012, indicating the case's enduring impact on both Sahara's legacy and broader discussions about judicial integrity and the need for rigorous examination of police investigative practices, especially in high-stakes criminal cases.