Justice Minister -

1-1-1 Kasumigaseki
Chiyoda-ku

Tokyo 100-8977, Japan

Fax: +81 3 5511 7200

Dear Minister,

I am writing to you to ask you to give urgent attention to the case of Hakamada Iwao.

I understand that Hakamada Iwao was convicted in 1968 after an unfair trial, on the basis of a confession extracted under duress. Since then he has spent more than forty years on death row, 29 of those in solitary confinement. I understand that his mental health is suffering as a result of this.

I urge your government to grant Hakamada Iwao a retrial, conducted according to international standards of fair trial, or to ensure that he is not executed, and on account of his mental illness, that he is released.

I would also request that prison conditions for those on death row are improved in accordance with the recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Committee in 1988 which found these to be incompatible with international standards to which Japan is party.

Finally I call on your government to abolish the daiyo kangoku system of pre-trial detention, which can facilitate further human rights violations such as torture and ill-treatment, and to immediately establish a moratorium on executions with a view to full abolition of the death penalty as provided by UN General Assembly resolution 62/149 which was adopted in December 2007.

I look forward to hearing from you regarding this important matter.

Sincerely,

________________________