Japan's Death Row - 48 year inmate found innocent
The world’s longest-serving death row inmate, Iwao Hakamada, was released after 48 years in prison, when a judge last month found that “the possibility of his innocence has become clear to a respectable degree.” Mr. Hakamada’s case is another strong argument for the abolition of the death penalty.
Mr. Hakamada was sentenced to death for the 1966 murder of the manager of the company where he worked, the manager’s wife and two children in their house. Mr. Hakamada admitted guilt after a severe interrogation in which he was beaten and deprived of sleep. But in court, he retracted the confession. The prosecution introduced as evidence blood-stained clothing, with the blood type matching that of Mr. Hakamada and the victims. That and his confession proved decisive.
The conviction rate in Japan is almost 100 percent, and most convictions are based on confessions. The notion of false convictions is largely rejected, and appeals based on prosecutorial error or misconduct are rarely successful.
The break in this case came recently when the obstinate defense team won its argument that DNA testing, which the Japanese police began to use in 1989, should be done on the clothing. There was no match. The judge suggested that the prosecution had fabricated evidence, and he ordered the release of Mr. Hakamada, who is now 78 and senile.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/07/opinion/japans-death-row.html
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The one lesson I learned was never confess to those guys, it's not going to work out well.
That and don't get in trouble!
As a foreigner one is constantly under scrutiny, the assumption is Gaijin will always end up being trouble (in one way or another).
That said I don't think I have found anywhere where I feel safer. They spent a lot of time covering on TV some run of the mill car break ins. Something that wouldn't garner a mention in the bay area. I don't worry about getting robbed or shortchanged, although staying out of sex clubs and dodgy bars probably helps.
The one thing I have noticed is american style graffiti has gotten popular and is more common than ever before.
People are friendly but reserved, when I experience racism, I don't get (too) mad, part of what makes Japan special is it's insular culture.
I am on my best behavior all the time. I have yet to deal with cab drivers in a drunken state. To me Japanese cabbies are the most clean and professional in the world. I probably haven't been around long enough
It's possible my lack of Japanese keeps me from getting in trouble and I've only been in cabs with natives giving directions.
I love Japan.
I'm in the Tokyo area
He likes to stir it up!! LOL 
Japan is an amazing place but you have to behave, Gaijin is Gaijin. I don't resent it, I embrace it.
The biggest mystery to me of all is why are they so backwards with credit, if anyone could be shamed into paying their bills it would be the Japanese. I don't get that part.
I don't read a word so being illiterate is painful. Nihongo ganai!