CALL4 Begins Support for the "Okawara Kakoki Case: Holding Judges Accountable" Lawsuit
CALL4 has launched support for a lawsuit seeking to hold 37 judges accountable for their roles in the wrongful arrest and detention of the late Shizuo Aishima in the Okawara Kakoki case. The litigation aims to challenge the legality of the judges' decisions, which denied bail despite Aishima's deteriorating health, and to put an end to Japan's "hostage justice" system.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 27, 2026 at 23:34
- 🔍 Collected: March 28, 2026 at 21:59 (22h 25m after Published)
CALL4 (operated by the certified non-profit organization CALL4; Co-Representative Directors: Motonori Taniguchi and Orie Maruyama), Japan's first (※1) web platform specializing in public interest litigation support, will begin supporting the "Okawara Kakoki Case: Holding Judges Accountable" lawsuit on March 26, 2026.
In the Okawara Kakoki case, the late Shizuo Aishima, a former advisor who was unjustly arrested and detained, had his freedom taken away for approximately 11 months and passed away without ever being granted bail. While the illegality of the investigative agencies was later recognized, the individuals responsible for issuing the arrest and detention warrants for Mr. Aishima and repeatedly denying his bail were the judges.
This lawsuit aims to restore the rule of law to Japan's criminal justice system and put an end to "hostage justice" by challenging the legality of the decisions made by the 37 judges involved.
※1 As of September 2019, based on in-house research including legal opinions, as a "web support platform specializing in public interest litigation support" within Japan.
### Details of the Lawsuit
Shizuo Aishima, an executive at Okawara Kakoki Co., Ltd., was arrested for violating the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act on the grounds that he exported a spray dryer (a machine that turns liquid into powder) without permission from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. It has already been established in a state compensation lawsuit against the investigative agencies that Mr. Aishima and the others were innocent and that these charges were baseless.
In that lawsuit, it was recognized that the investigative agencies' requests for arrest warrants, detention warrants, and the filing of charges were illegal. However, the legal responsibility of the judges was not pursued.
Mr. Aishima was arrested on March 11, 2020, and his detention began on March 13.
His defense counsel filed quasi-appeals against the detention and repeatedly requested bail after the indictment. However, the judges consistently denied bail, maintaining that there was probable cause for the crime and that Mr. Aishima was at risk of concealing evidence or fleeing.
In October of that year, Mr. Aishima was diagnosed with stomach cancer. His defense counsel requested bail, stating that he needed to undergo immediate specialized examinations. However, the judge denied bail, determining that even with stomach cancer, there was a possibility that Mr. Aishima could conceal evidence or flee.
Ultimately, Mr. Aishima was never granted bail until he passed away on February 7, 2021.
This lawsuit seeks to hold judges accountable for failing to act as a check on investigative agencies that were acting inappropriately, and for instead rubber-stamping their demands, despite the judges' duty to make independent decisions based on their own conscience.
This lawsuit seeks damages from the state, asserting that the decisions of all 37 judges—those who issued the arrest warrant, those who issued the detention warrant, and those who denied the bail requests—were illegal in their treatment of Shizuo Aishima.
### Issues in the Lawsuit
**Does the state bear liability for damages regarding the judges' decisions?**
The issue in this lawsuit is whether the state bears liability for damages regarding the decisions made by judges, such as arrests, detentions, and the denial of bail. The plaintiffs argue that these decisions were illegal for the following reasons:
**1. There was no suspicion of a crime to begin with**
The definition of "sterilization" was in dispute in the Okawara Kakoki case. However, there was no official documentation to support the interpretation of "sterilization" adopted by the investigative agencies. Under such circumstances, it was difficult to judge that Mr. Aishima was suspected of committing a crime, and in the first place, the Okawara Kakoki spray dryer did not have the capability to "sterilize." This point was explained to the investigative agencies not only by Mr. Aishima but also by multiple company employees.
These facts could have been understood even from the investigation materials. However, the judges, without critically examining the claims of the investigative agencies, accepted the existence of criminal suspicion exactly as the agencies claimed.
**2. Evidence had already been sufficiently collected at the time of arrest**
For approximately a year and a half before the arrest, a large amount of evidence had already been collected by investigative agencies regarding Okawara Kakoki. Furthermore, numerous witness statements had been prepared, and there was no risk that Mr. Aishima would conceal evidence.
**3. Bail was not granted even with a serious illness**
Mr. Aishima was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer while in detention. However, bail was not granted even after that.
Continuing to detain a person who requires medical treatment for a long period violates the Constitution and international treaties.
### Use of Funds (Donations)
* Litigation costs: Actual expenses paid to the court, such as revenue stamps (approx. 550,000 yen) and prepaid postage (approx. 10,000 yen).
* Actual expenses for data collection: Copying fees for court documents and fees for various submitted materials.
* Other actual expenses: Travel expenses for the plaintiff to appear in court and for experts to visit the court, etc.
* Event and public relations expenses: We intend to use donations for events and public relations related to this trial.
* Attorney fees, etc.: We intend to use them for retainers, success fees, and travel allowances for the legal team.
### Thoughts from the Plaintiffs
**Mrs. Aishima (Wife)**
My husband was a man of high self-esteem who lived his life seriously and worked hard in his own way. There had been no trial yet, and no verdict had been reached. If bail had not been denied at that time and he had been able to go to the hospital, I believe he would have wanted to appear in court and state his opinions proudly, as he was a person who clearly communicated his views. I am still so frustrated and heartbroken that such an unreasonable thing could happen.
I feel strong anger toward the court, which denied bail eight times even though they knew that most hospitals would not accept him while his detention was suspended due to the onset and progression of his cancer.
I once told my husband, "Even if you have to lie, just admit to the crime so you can go to the hospital," because I wanted him to be saved at any cost. My husband remained silent. Knowing that he did not want to live by bending his convictions, I never said it again.
I want judges to feel the weight of what is written on a single piece of paper. I strongly hope that they will correct the errors of the current system themselves and transform into a mature judiciary.
**Eldest Son of Mr. Aishima**
He did not commit a single crime. He was just living seriously, following the rules, and exporting products. Nevertheless, the reckless act that unreasonably destroyed our family's peaceful daily life is the Okawara Kakoki wrongful conviction case.
Later, their despicable illegal investigation was exposed in court, and the national and Tokyo metropolitan governments offered apologies and compensation. However, a deep, cold anger still swirls in my heart. This is because it was the "judges" who made the decision to lock my innocent father in a cold cage and take away his freedom. For 11 months, they unjustly bound a good citizen who had lived by the law. The judges who even deprived my father, who was on the verge of death due to stomach cancer, of the opportunity to receive specialized treatment, still remain silent.
If we leave their irresponsibility as it is, the torture known as Japan's "hostage justice" will never disappear. I do not want anyone else to experience the despair my father tasted. Passing on this tragic case with anger and directly questioning the responsibility of the judges is the only way to restore true justice and a healthy society to this country.
**Second Son of Mr. Aishima**
My father, Shizuo Aishima, became a victim of a wrongful conviction surrounding Japan's export control system. The court, which should have been the gatekeeper to stop the runaway investigative agencies, functioned as a rubber-stamp institution, approving arrests and detentions and continuing detention even after indictment. It was the very essence of Japan's "hostage justice," where detention is not lifted unless one confesses.
What was most cruel was when my father was suffering from advanced cancer in the detention center and was on the verge of death. As the shadow of death approached, my father, as an engineer, was crushed by the despair of having physical facts ignored, asking, "Why can't they understand the truth?"
"When in doubt, favor the investigative agency"—this is the exact opposite of the ideal. Even though we won the state compensation lawsuit and received a perfunctory apology from the investigative agencies, the court still maintains its silence.
A judiciary that cannot check the runaway power of the state no longer has the ability to review. I want to question the responsibility of the court that led to my father's death and hope it evolves into a "humanitarian judiciary" that will never repeat such a tragedy. I want to throw the final question my father left behind to society.
### Support Message
**Masaaki Okawara (President and Representative Director, Okawara Kakoki Co., Ltd.)**
Despite being told that "the equipment was in a place it shouldn't have been" and cooperating with voluntary questioning for over a year after the compulsory investigation, we were arrested and detained. This was a case that should have resulted in a suspended sentence, and the long-term detention was unjust.
Even after requesting bail, it was not granted, and my physical strength was exhausted by four months of cold rice and interrogations in the detention center. Furthermore, Mr. Aishima, who complained of poor health after moving to the detention house and developed the illness, could not receive appropriate treatment, and his repeated bail requests were rejected. By the time the suspension of detention was granted, he was in a state where even surgery was impossible.
Only the judges could have saved Mr. Aishima, who continued to believe in his innocence. I want to clarify why they couldn't stop it and dedicate the improved state of the judiciary to his grave.
### Introduction of Attorneys in Charge
Takashi Takano (Takano Takashi Law Office)
Kyoko Yoshida (same)
Toshiki Nanri (same)
Daisuke Igeta (Miyamura & Igeta Law Office, Secretary General of LEDGE)
Seiho Cho (Kollect Arts Law Office)
Motonori Taniguchi (Tokyo Public Law Office, Director of LEDGE)
Yoshiyasu Toda (Law Office LEDGE)
Koji Shirotsukai (Goto & Shinyu Law Office)
Tanenobu Haichi (same)
Takemichi Yanai (Kita-Senju Public Law Office)
### About the Operating Organization "Certified Non-Profit Organization CALL4"
Certified Non-Profit Organization CALL4 is a non-profit corporation established to operate the web platform "CALL4," which supports public interest litigation. Its activities are carried out by pro bono members with diverse expertise, in addition to co-representatives Motonori Taniguchi (lawyer) and Orie Maruyama (creative director).
For details, please check the following:
https://www.call4.jp/
CALL4 will continue to work daily to make the judiciary feel more accessible through case support, including crowdfunding.
In the Okawara Kakoki case, the late Shizuo Aishima, a former advisor who was unjustly arrested and detained, had his freedom taken away for approximately 11 months and passed away without ever being granted bail. While the illegality of the investigative agencies was later recognized, the individuals responsible for issuing the arrest and detention warrants for Mr. Aishima and repeatedly denying his bail were the judges.
This lawsuit aims to restore the rule of law to Japan's criminal justice system and put an end to "hostage justice" by challenging the legality of the decisions made by the 37 judges involved.
※1 As of September 2019, based on in-house research including legal opinions, as a "web support platform specializing in public interest litigation support" within Japan.
### Details of the Lawsuit
Shizuo Aishima, an executive at Okawara Kakoki Co., Ltd., was arrested for violating the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act on the grounds that he exported a spray dryer (a machine that turns liquid into powder) without permission from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. It has already been established in a state compensation lawsuit against the investigative agencies that Mr. Aishima and the others were innocent and that these charges were baseless.
In that lawsuit, it was recognized that the investigative agencies' requests for arrest warrants, detention warrants, and the filing of charges were illegal. However, the legal responsibility of the judges was not pursued.
Mr. Aishima was arrested on March 11, 2020, and his detention began on March 13.
His defense counsel filed quasi-appeals against the detention and repeatedly requested bail after the indictment. However, the judges consistently denied bail, maintaining that there was probable cause for the crime and that Mr. Aishima was at risk of concealing evidence or fleeing.
In October of that year, Mr. Aishima was diagnosed with stomach cancer. His defense counsel requested bail, stating that he needed to undergo immediate specialized examinations. However, the judge denied bail, determining that even with stomach cancer, there was a possibility that Mr. Aishima could conceal evidence or flee.
Ultimately, Mr. Aishima was never granted bail until he passed away on February 7, 2021.
This lawsuit seeks to hold judges accountable for failing to act as a check on investigative agencies that were acting inappropriately, and for instead rubber-stamping their demands, despite the judges' duty to make independent decisions based on their own conscience.
This lawsuit seeks damages from the state, asserting that the decisions of all 37 judges—those who issued the arrest warrant, those who issued the detention warrant, and those who denied the bail requests—were illegal in their treatment of Shizuo Aishima.
### Issues in the Lawsuit
**Does the state bear liability for damages regarding the judges' decisions?**
The issue in this lawsuit is whether the state bears liability for damages regarding the decisions made by judges, such as arrests, detentions, and the denial of bail. The plaintiffs argue that these decisions were illegal for the following reasons:
**1. There was no suspicion of a crime to begin with**
The definition of "sterilization" was in dispute in the Okawara Kakoki case. However, there was no official documentation to support the interpretation of "sterilization" adopted by the investigative agencies. Under such circumstances, it was difficult to judge that Mr. Aishima was suspected of committing a crime, and in the first place, the Okawara Kakoki spray dryer did not have the capability to "sterilize." This point was explained to the investigative agencies not only by Mr. Aishima but also by multiple company employees.
These facts could have been understood even from the investigation materials. However, the judges, without critically examining the claims of the investigative agencies, accepted the existence of criminal suspicion exactly as the agencies claimed.
**2. Evidence had already been sufficiently collected at the time of arrest**
For approximately a year and a half before the arrest, a large amount of evidence had already been collected by investigative agencies regarding Okawara Kakoki. Furthermore, numerous witness statements had been prepared, and there was no risk that Mr. Aishima would conceal evidence.
**3. Bail was not granted even with a serious illness**
Mr. Aishima was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer while in detention. However, bail was not granted even after that.
Continuing to detain a person who requires medical treatment for a long period violates the Constitution and international treaties.
### Use of Funds (Donations)
* Litigation costs: Actual expenses paid to the court, such as revenue stamps (approx. 550,000 yen) and prepaid postage (approx. 10,000 yen).
* Actual expenses for data collection: Copying fees for court documents and fees for various submitted materials.
* Other actual expenses: Travel expenses for the plaintiff to appear in court and for experts to visit the court, etc.
* Event and public relations expenses: We intend to use donations for events and public relations related to this trial.
* Attorney fees, etc.: We intend to use them for retainers, success fees, and travel allowances for the legal team.
### Thoughts from the Plaintiffs
**Mrs. Aishima (Wife)**
My husband was a man of high self-esteem who lived his life seriously and worked hard in his own way. There had been no trial yet, and no verdict had been reached. If bail had not been denied at that time and he had been able to go to the hospital, I believe he would have wanted to appear in court and state his opinions proudly, as he was a person who clearly communicated his views. I am still so frustrated and heartbroken that such an unreasonable thing could happen.
I feel strong anger toward the court, which denied bail eight times even though they knew that most hospitals would not accept him while his detention was suspended due to the onset and progression of his cancer.
I once told my husband, "Even if you have to lie, just admit to the crime so you can go to the hospital," because I wanted him to be saved at any cost. My husband remained silent. Knowing that he did not want to live by bending his convictions, I never said it again.
I want judges to feel the weight of what is written on a single piece of paper. I strongly hope that they will correct the errors of the current system themselves and transform into a mature judiciary.
**Eldest Son of Mr. Aishima**
He did not commit a single crime. He was just living seriously, following the rules, and exporting products. Nevertheless, the reckless act that unreasonably destroyed our family's peaceful daily life is the Okawara Kakoki wrongful conviction case.
Later, their despicable illegal investigation was exposed in court, and the national and Tokyo metropolitan governments offered apologies and compensation. However, a deep, cold anger still swirls in my heart. This is because it was the "judges" who made the decision to lock my innocent father in a cold cage and take away his freedom. For 11 months, they unjustly bound a good citizen who had lived by the law. The judges who even deprived my father, who was on the verge of death due to stomach cancer, of the opportunity to receive specialized treatment, still remain silent.
If we leave their irresponsibility as it is, the torture known as Japan's "hostage justice" will never disappear. I do not want anyone else to experience the despair my father tasted. Passing on this tragic case with anger and directly questioning the responsibility of the judges is the only way to restore true justice and a healthy society to this country.
**Second Son of Mr. Aishima**
My father, Shizuo Aishima, became a victim of a wrongful conviction surrounding Japan's export control system. The court, which should have been the gatekeeper to stop the runaway investigative agencies, functioned as a rubber-stamp institution, approving arrests and detentions and continuing detention even after indictment. It was the very essence of Japan's "hostage justice," where detention is not lifted unless one confesses.
What was most cruel was when my father was suffering from advanced cancer in the detention center and was on the verge of death. As the shadow of death approached, my father, as an engineer, was crushed by the despair of having physical facts ignored, asking, "Why can't they understand the truth?"
"When in doubt, favor the investigative agency"—this is the exact opposite of the ideal. Even though we won the state compensation lawsuit and received a perfunctory apology from the investigative agencies, the court still maintains its silence.
A judiciary that cannot check the runaway power of the state no longer has the ability to review. I want to question the responsibility of the court that led to my father's death and hope it evolves into a "humanitarian judiciary" that will never repeat such a tragedy. I want to throw the final question my father left behind to society.
### Support Message
**Masaaki Okawara (President and Representative Director, Okawara Kakoki Co., Ltd.)**
Despite being told that "the equipment was in a place it shouldn't have been" and cooperating with voluntary questioning for over a year after the compulsory investigation, we were arrested and detained. This was a case that should have resulted in a suspended sentence, and the long-term detention was unjust.
Even after requesting bail, it was not granted, and my physical strength was exhausted by four months of cold rice and interrogations in the detention center. Furthermore, Mr. Aishima, who complained of poor health after moving to the detention house and developed the illness, could not receive appropriate treatment, and his repeated bail requests were rejected. By the time the suspension of detention was granted, he was in a state where even surgery was impossible.
Only the judges could have saved Mr. Aishima, who continued to believe in his innocence. I want to clarify why they couldn't stop it and dedicate the improved state of the judiciary to his grave.
### Introduction of Attorneys in Charge
Takashi Takano (Takano Takashi Law Office)
Kyoko Yoshida (same)
Toshiki Nanri (same)
Daisuke Igeta (Miyamura & Igeta Law Office, Secretary General of LEDGE)
Seiho Cho (Kollect Arts Law Office)
Motonori Taniguchi (Tokyo Public Law Office, Director of LEDGE)
Yoshiyasu Toda (Law Office LEDGE)
Koji Shirotsukai (Goto & Shinyu Law Office)
Tanenobu Haichi (same)
Takemichi Yanai (Kita-Senju Public Law Office)
### About the Operating Organization "Certified Non-Profit Organization CALL4"
Certified Non-Profit Organization CALL4 is a non-profit corporation established to operate the web platform "CALL4," which supports public interest litigation. Its activities are carried out by pro bono members with diverse expertise, in addition to co-representatives Motonori Taniguchi (lawyer) and Orie Maruyama (creative director).
For details, please check the following:
https://www.call4.jp/
CALL4 will continue to work daily to make the judiciary feel more accessible through case support, including crowdfunding.