Fukuoka High Court Orders Japan and Kumamoto Prefecture to Pay Damages in Matsuhashi Wrongful‑Conviction Case

The Fukuoka High Court issued a landmark ruling in the Matsuhashi incident, ordering both the national government of Japan and Kumamoto Prefecture to jointly compensate the family of Hiroki Miyata. Miyata, convicted of a 1985 murder in what was then Matsuhashi‑cho (now part of Uki City, Kumamoto), was acquitted in 2019 after a retrial that found his confession coerced and key evidence withheld. Following the acquittal, his heirs filed a state‑liability suit seeking roughly ¥85 million in damages for the illegal police interrogation and prosecutorial misconduct. While a 2020 district‑court decision held only the national government liable, the appellate court recognized the prefectural police’s role and mandated joint compensation. The judgment underscores judicial scrutiny of past wrongful‑conviction investigations and may set a precedent for future state‑liability claims in Japan.