JAPAN: TOP COURT REJECTS DEATH ROW RETRIAL REQUEST

the Japanese Supreme Court rejected a retrial request from a former professional boxer sentenced to death over the murder and robbery of a family of four in 1966, ending his call for the case to be reheard. The decision against the special appeal filed by 72 year old former professional boxer Iwao Hakamada was made by the second petty bench of the Supreme Court. "There is no reason enabling a special appeal, such as a constitutional violation," the court said. The judge added he had considered all of the evidence including new evidence submitted by lawyers, but concluded that there was "no clear evidence suggesting a not-guilty verdict should be handed down."