Matsuo Fujimoto
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Matsuo Fujimoto (藤本 松夫 Fujimoto Matsuo?, July 18, 1922 - September 14, 1962) was a Japanese executed man, who was charged for an 1952 murder and was executed by hanging in 1962. His guilty verdict, death sentence and execution, made controversies, because he suffered from leprosy and the Japanese government were urging the discrimination and prejudice against the leper patients at that time.
On August 1, 1951, someone set a charge of dynamite in a house of a functionary, who supported the segregation of leper patients. The police arrested Matsuo Fujimoto and he was forced to enter a detention center of a leper colony. He escaped from the hospital on June 16, 1952. On July 6, the functionary was murdered. The police announced that Matsuo had killed him. On July 12, the police shot and captured Matsuo. However, the victim's blood wasn't stuck to his dagger. When he was badly wounded by shooting, the police extracted a confession from him.
There was a lack of evidence, but his trial was abnormal. They established the special court for him. His first lawyers agreed the prosecutors. Since they hated leprosy, he was tried in an isolated circumstance. Kumamoto district court sentenced him to death on August 29, 1953. His trials didn't seem to be fair, so he had supporters, including Yasuhiro Nakasone.[1] However, he was executed by hanging on September 14, 1962 after Kunio Nakagaki signed his death warrant.
Later, when Japanese policy against leper was criticised as unethical, the case came under review. In March 2005, "Verification Committee Concerning Hansen's Disease Problem", which was established by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, claimed "Fujimoto's case did not even come close to satisfying the constitutional requirements."[2]
