Cancer patient in Japan dies in custody, prompting rare apology

Japanese police and prosecutors this week took the unusual step of offering an apology, flowers and deep bows at the grave of a wrongfully accused man who died of cancer without proper treatment because of prolonged detention.

They were apologising to Shizuo Aishima, one of three executives at a machinery maker, Ohkawara Kakohki, based in Yokohama, near Tokyo, who were wrongfully arrested and charged in 2020 with the unauthorised export of sensitive industrial equipment.

Aishima, who was in charge of design and development, was diagnosed with stomach cancer while he was detained. His lawyer filed bail requests eight times in hopes of getting Aishima proper medical care, but all were denied.

Aishima was finally sent to an outside hospital, but it was too late for treatment. He died in February 2021 at 72, five months before prosecutors dropped the charges against him and two other company executives.

“We deeply apologise for our illegal investigation and arrest,” said Tetsuo Kamata, deputy superintendent general of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.