01x08 - Episode 8

[bunniefuu]

Your father called me.

There's something I'd like

to discuss with you.

Please meet me in the lobby

of Centreve Hotel at 8:00 p.m.

I wonder

what he wanted to talk about.

Excuse me.

Can I have a moment?

Yes.

The perpetrator turned himself in

a short while ago.

At around 8:00 p.m. last night,

in the parking lot of Centreve Hotel,

Deputy Prosecutor General

Hidetoshi Yuki, 60,

was found dead after suffering

severe head trauma.

Later Michitaka Maeda, 35,

a prosecutor with the Supreme Public

Prosecutors Office, turned himself in.

Mr. Maeda worked under Mr. Yuki.

He claims the two argued over work

and he pushed Mr. Yuki during the dispute.

Hidetoshi Yuki.

He handled my father's interrogation

25 years ago,

and sought the death penalty.

What on earth is happening?

I'm sorry. The post-funeral procedures

took longer than expected.

Ando, you can take

more time off if you want.

I already took three days.

How many more days should I take?

That depends on how you feel.

On how I feel?

Mr. Ando,

are you eating?

Are you sleeping?

Yes. I've been eating.

I get about five hours of sleep a night.

Are you really okay?

No, I'm not okay.

I don't think I'm okay.

I only lived with my father

until I was 12.

After that, I saw him again

when I decided to become a judge.

And this year, I met him twice.

Compared to normal families,

I didn't spend much time with my father.

But I'm aware that I feel sad.

Now I understand

what it means to lose family.

I will never see him again.

But at the same time,

no, even more strongly

I want to know what happened.

Why did my father have to die?

The cause of the dispute

has been reported as work-related, right?

That can mean anything.

How much does the prosecution know?

We know as much as you do.

Maeda was one of the best.

He had a bright future in front of him.

That's why he was assigned to Mr. Yuki.

So why would he

We're not getting any information either.

There may be a gag order.

According to my father's planner,

before the incident

he went to two locations.

Yasuragi Care Home Kawasaki

and Centreve Hotel.

At the hotel, he was supposed to meet

Dr. Kaoruko Yamaji, a psychiatrist.

She was one of the earliest doctors

to assess Kazuma Akiba's mental state.

My father didn't adopt her diagnosis,

so it was never made public.

He contacted Dr. Yamaji out of the blue,

and said he wanted to meet and talk.

You think this might be connected

to the case from 25 years ago?

I don't know.

There's so much I don't know.

That's why I want to find out

what my father did that day.

I wanted to give you more time off,

but go ahead and look into it.

I will.

We will continue our investigation.

Haruhiko Kiuchi is still being questioned.

He used multiple aliases,

and his real name remains unknown.

The police aren't looking into

the events from 25 years ago.

He worked as a security consultant

for Yuhi Security in recent years.

Why don't we start there?

Okay.

I'll continue looking into the land

owned by the victim.

Good.

Our positions are different,

but we want the same thing.

Let's find out what really happened.

Yes.

I'm an alien.

The law is a promise

that protects our lives.

I like the law.

I want to believe in justice.

THEMIS' UNCERTAIN COUR

EPISODE 8

THE RESOLVE TO FACE THE TRUTH

I'd be fine going alone.

But having company is even better.

Are you trying to be nice?

When you're sad, being with someone

can ease the sadness.

Negative feelings can swell up. Sometimes

if feels like they'll swallow you up.

Don't bottle up your sadness.

Put it into words and let it out.

I'm confused

You seem extremely rough around the edges

at times, yet also very sensitive.

I've never met anyone with such extremes.

You're making me blush.

Your way of interpreting things

is also unique. I'm confused.

Do you know who Mr. Yuki was meeting

at the facility we're heading to?

Most likely someone named Ryuji Kashiwagi.

I looked into my father's acquaintances.

It seems my father's superior

from 25 years ago is there.

So Mr. Yuki's case really is connected

to what happened 25 years ago.

Um

There's something I'd like to ask.

Go ahead.

What kind of person

was your father to you?

I said stop.

Why can't you act normally?

Why can't you be like other kids?

When I was little, even simple things

didn't come easily to me.

I'm an alien?

My father denied and rejected me.

He has never acknowledged me,

not even once.

I'm sorry.

Why are you apologizing?

Because you looked like

you were in so much pain.

I see.

Then I suppose

I must have been in pain all along.

The land of Tomoyasu Bando, the victim,

was in this area.

It was "seed land."

Seed?

Yes, seed land.

It refers to land of little value

whose price is expected

to skyrocket in the future.

You start with small plots of land

and consolidate them into a large site.

That drives up demand and prices jump.

In this area,

Tomoyasu Bando was the only one

who refused to sell his land.

Haruhiko Kiuchi

was indeed contracted

as a security consultant.

But there's nothing for us

to discuss here.

Meaning?

Honestly, we're not really sure.

There are various ways

to set up contracts

Some official, and some let's say, well

You mean he got the job

through connections of some sort?

Yes.

Then tell us everything you know about

who arranged the contract with Mr. Kiuchi.

I can't do that.

The police ordered confidentiality

until the investigation ends.

I expected as much.

Pardon?

I knew you'd say that.

Under Article 445

of the Code of Criminal Procedure,

the court handling a retrial request may,

when necessary, conduct an investigation

of the facts.

And under Article 102, Paragraph 2,

we can issue an order to submit

all information related to the contract.

It's a compulsory measure.

-A compulsory measure?

-Yes.

Even if you refuse, the court can search

and seize the documents.

-Chief.

-Yes.

We've informed Mr. Ando and Ms. Ochiai

in advance, and they agreed and stamped.

Here.

Submit everything.

Please wait a moment.

Excuse me, I need to step out a moment.

I can't believe this

Understood. I'll head over immediately.

Where are we?

Someone who knows Toshiki Tatsumi well,

the person whose business card

Bando had, works here.

Development Director Hirotsugu Kagawa.

If we make contact, we might learn more.

You're here for Director Kagawa, correct?

Please wait over there while we confirm.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

You must be impressed we got this far

in such a short time.

I followed every lead I could.

Keep your promise about the crab.

That's not the only reason, right?

Why are you helping so much,

even though this isn't your job?

I'm in the justice field too.

I want the truth to come out.

Especially if someone is suffering

because the truth hasn't been revealed.

That sounded a bit idealistic, didn't it?

Idealistic is fine.

I totally agree.

I feel like we're connecting somehow,

and it creeps me out.

I totally agree.

Isn't this turning

into our usual routine?

I'm running low on gas.

Since we're in Tokyo, let's grab a drink!

Chief!

Oh? What are you doing here?

That's what I was going to ask you.

Maybe the dots are finally connecting.

Huh?

YASURAGI CARE HOME KAWASAKI

He's over there.

Mr. Yuki did come to visit that day.

My brother has dementia.

He doesn't understand if you speak to him.

But Mr. Yuki spoke to him for a long time.

Do you know what he was talking about?

I see.

Something similar happened long ago.

I once saw Mr. Yuki at my brother's house.

They were talking.

It wasn't an ordinary conversation

We didn't do anything wrong.

Mr. Kashiwagi.

We will never

escape this sin,

not for the rest of our lives.

If this ever comes out

the justice system is over.

After that, my brother quit his job

and shut himself up at home.

When I asked what had happened,

he refused to talk about it.

When did this argument happen?

In 2008.

The year my second daughter was born.

I remember clearly because it was

the day I brought her to see my brother.

2008?

The year after Kazuma Akiba's execution

Mr. Ando?

The truth is coming out.

Haruhiko Kiuchi, a security consultant,

and Toshiki Tatsumi,

a real estate company owner in Minato,

Tokyo, who had contact with Mr. Bando,

are actually the same person.

His real name is Mitsuru Tawada,

57 years old.

He constantly used

multiple family registers

to stay under the radar and skirt the law,

so his real identity remained unknown.

I talked to someone who dealt with Tawada.

This person's name is Hirotsugu Kagawa.

Tawada handled negotiations

for the land Bando owned.

Bando refused to sell,

and Tawada was clearly under pressure.

Then, in 2000,

the Maebashi family murders happened.

At the time,

Kagawa said he was shocked.

He couldn't get in touch with Tawada,

and then Akiba Kazuma was arrested.

After Bando's death,

the land went to relatives and was sold.

Tawada appeared before Kagawa then.

He never admitted being the k*ller,

but regarding the Maebashi family murders,

he said

"If the culprit hadn't been seen,

he probably wouldn't have harmed

the children."

Then in 2007,

Akiba's death sentence was carried out.

In 2008, Tawada committed robbery

causing injury and was arrested.

But he was not prosecuted.

That must have been

when my father learned the truth.

At the Maebashi family m*rder scene,

there were many unknown fingerprints.

In 2008, they matched some of them

to Tawada's prints.

The justice system k*lled an innocent man.

If this ever comes out

the justice system is over.

Very few people must have known the truth.

And they faced a choice.

Speak out, or stay silent.

I wonder what I'd have done.

Mr. Yuki chose silence.

But that doesn't mean

the real culprit could go free.

He must have kept an eye on Tawada.

Then he learned

he had committed crimes again

disguised as a security consultant.

I think my father

sent this anonymous tip.

As Deputy Prosecutor General,

he had things he had to protect.

But letting the real culprit go free

caused more victims,

and even cost Tomoyo Hatori her life.

I think he was ready to reveal the truth.

I want to know the truth.

I will uncover what happened

25 years ago no matter what.

Do what you will.

That's why he met Mr. Kashiwagi that day.

They shared the same secret.

And he probably wanted to meet Dr. Yamaji

to apologize for not trusting

her evaluation of Kazuma Akiba

and seeking the death penalty.

How do you feel hearing this,

Prosecutor Furukawa?

You've been quiet all this time.

Did the prosecution

already know all of this?

It's likely Michitaka Maeda

argued with Hidetoshi Yuki

to protect the prosecution.

The defense will request fingerprint

analysis to see if the unknown prints

-match Tawada's--

-Not found.

The unknown prints from back then

can't be located.

So that's what you were told to do?

It was the last thing Mr. Yuki said to me.

You're about to have a kid, right?

Make wise decisions.

What a wise decision would be

I don't know.

The prosecution could be destroyed.

So you'll follow

the organization's decision?

If you want to despise me,

go ahead.

We don't despise you.

It's natural to be confused about

handling something of this magnitude.

"The justice system is over."

What Mr. Yuki said

might be true.

Based on this evidence,

the court will now decide

whether to grant the retrial petition.

I said this would be a step

toward changing Japan's justice system,

but it's tougher than I thought.

We have enough evidence

to grant the retrial petition.

But the prosecution

will probably file an immediate appeal.

If the High Court rejects that,

they'll file a special appeal.

Only after the Supreme Court rejects it

would the retrial actually begin.

Ten years, 20 years, maybe even 30.

That's how the system

has worked until now.

Legislation requiring prosecutors

to disclose evidence,

and banning their appeals

Those issues are being debated

in the Diet right now.

The justice system is changing.

It may not follow the same path.

I agree.

You're optimistic.

We have no choice but to look ahead.

I follow my instincts.

No matter how much I think,

there's no answer.

Which means the answer isn't

somewhere deep.

I take the rock 'n' roll approach.

Okay, let's vote.

Those in favor of granting the petition?

Okay! We'll prepare

a detailed written decision.

On the day, we'll hand over copies

and read the decision aloud in court,

with the press and public present.

Alright! Let's go celebrate with a drink!

Hang on, now.

I thought at least one of you

would say yes today.

I have no choice, I'll join you.

Oh! Nice!

And you, Ando?

I'll go home.

It's okay. That's our Ando.

Thank you.

TWO WEEKS LATER

In 2000, the Maebashi family murders

shocked the nation.

The family of Kazuma Akiba,

who was ex*cuted,

has filed for a retrial twice.

The first petition was rejected,

but new facts have emerged

and the court is expected

to grant the second.

In Japan's justice system,

no retrial has ever been granted

after an execution.

-Some believe the court's fast decision

-Mr. Ando.

is tied to recent judicial scandals.

All eyes are on the court's decision.

That anonymous tip

we think Mr. Yuki sent

You were the one who insisted

on looking into it.

But this interests me.

All the other tips were directly related.

But this one has no connection whatsoever.

Which leads me to suspect

there's an unseen connection.

Mr. Yuki entrusted it to you.

I think he believed in Judge Kiyoharu Ando

more than anyone else.

Do what you will.

Be sure to watch where you're going.

Let's go inside.

All rise.

Before ruling on the retrial petition,

each of us would like

to speak briefly as judges.

Judge Ochiai first.

"It is better that ten guilty persons

escape than one innocent suffer."

I never liked that saying.

Innocence and acquittal are not the same.

However

I believe they should be.

They ought to be.

But

I've changed my mind.

The possibility that an innocent person

was punished weighs heavily on me.

Even under the basic principles

of criminal procedure,

I must conclude that the justice system

this time was flawed.

The truth must be revealed.

Judge Ando.

Since

Since

Since I was a child,

I couldn't do ordinary things

the way others could.

What was normal for others

was very difficult for me.

When I was 13

I was diagnosed

with a developmental disorder.

Being different wasn't anyone's fault.

It didn't mean I hadn't tried hard enough.

I felt relieved.

But at the same time

I couldn't help thinking

"Why me?"

"Why not someone else?"

I didn't know how I should live.

Thinking about it filled me with anxiety.

I just couldn't shake it.

But one day

I happened to pick up

the Compendium of Basic Laws.

It contained the rules of society.

I thought of it as a guide for living.

The law is a set of promises

that protect everyday life.

That's when I wanted to become

a judge, to protect ordinary life.

I wanted

to contribute to society.

I wanted

to be needed.

I hid my condition

as I worked as a judge.

And in doing so, I've caused trouble

for those around me.

I often wonder if I should

keep doing this job.

Sometimes I want to quit.

Sometimes I don't.

But I keep going.

Because I want to continue.

Because I love this job,

protecting what is normal for everyone.

Why did you all choose to work

in the justice system?

I imagine everyone has their own reasons.

But perhaps we all share one belief.

To do the right thing.

To be just.

In the Maebashi family murders case,

the police investigated thoroughly.

The prosecutors were expected

to press charges.

The court was expected

to impose strict punishment.

Everyone tried to do what was right.

But individual beliefs, justice,

and ethics

can easily be buried

under the logic of an organization.

Even when trying to do what's right,

mistakes still happen.

The justice system

ex*cuted an innocent man.

At the same time, it meant

the real k*ller went free.

And more tragedy followed.

The crime committed by the system

frightens me.

It frightens me deeply.

Faced with what happened,

I feel myself falter.

But

does that mean

we should turn away from the truth?

If we do,

we will no longer know the truth.

If you don't know what you don't know,

you'll never know what you need to know.

If we don't know what we don't know,

we'll never know what we need to know.

But we must know.

We must find out what happened.

If society's promises are broken,

what are we supposed to believe in?

The law must be something we can rely on.

To restore trust,

we must be prepared

to risk losing it first.

What has happened cannot be undone.

We can only start from there.

We must start from there.

I'm sorry.

I can't find better words.

But

those are all the words

in my heart right now.

I had quite a bit I planned to say,

but I have nothing left to add.

But

hearing Judge Ando's words

reminded me of something simple.

A retrial petition

must not be a locked door.

It must be a door to relief.

In this case,

we have unanimously decided

to grant a retrial.

We do not yet know

how the proceedings will unfold.

But we are prepared to face

what has happened with sincerity.

Mrs. Yoshizawa,

please step forward.

The ruling.

A retrial is hereby ordered.

I will now explain the reasons.

In the final judgment,

eyewitness testimony placing Mr. Akiba

near the scene shortly after the incident

was fundamental to the guilty verdict.

Based on the on-site verification

conducted by this court,

under such conditions

the person's general appearance

could be made out.

But it would have been extremely difficult

to identify the person by their face.

Therefore, the eyewitness testimony

must be considered unreliable.

The final judgment

also relied on the credibility

of Mr. Akiba's confession.

However, the evidence

submitted by the petitioner

All this time,

I've been hiding my condition.

I was scared to speak about it.

But in court, I could.

I think it was because I didn't want

to lie in court.

You call it a condition,

but to me it was just you being you.

None of us is entirely normal.

It's difficult to draw that line.

Exactly.

Some judges here have personalities

just as peculiar as yours.

You don't see judges like this.

I wish there were more.

Just be Ando.

That's what makes you you.

Mr. Ando?

My condition is what makes me me.

I'm not ready

to say that clearly.

I can't say it yet.

I'm still scared.

However

someday

maybe one day

I'd like to be able

to say that my condition

is what makes me me.

Why am I crying?

Don't ask us!

Perhaps you feel relieved

now that you've shared it?

Oh

That might be it.

I

feel relieved.

And feeling relieved

the tears

won't stop.

Hey, hey.

Mr. Ando.

Here.

No, thank you.

With the court granting

the retrial petition

in the Maebashi family murders case,

all eyes were on

how the prosecution would respond.

Their answer is that they will not file

an immediate appeal.

The prosecution

didn't file an immediate appeal.

And those involved at the time

are speaking out.

The door to relief is opening.

The retrial is beginning soon.

Mr. Yuki

Your legacy has been passed on.

Ando is doing his best.

Mr. Ando.

Why are you spacing out?

Was I?

You were.

I was thinking about how humans walk.

They walk very differently

from dogs, cats, or horses.

Walking on two legs

is like a continuous series of movements

to avoid losing balance.

In other words, humans walk

while stumbling and nearly tripping.

Humans walk while stumbling

and nearly tripping.

I like that.

Yes. I like that too.

I will keep stumbling,

almost tripping.

But even so,

I will keep walking forward.

Hey!

Don't trip right away!

-Oh! Mr. Ando--

-No, thank you.

I haven't said anything yet.

Don't speak to me.

Don't say that. Hear me out first.

Something bothers me.

I've been a special assistant judge

for eight years.

Following the rules of society,

I make fair decisions to resolve conflicts

and protect everyone.

All rise.

From this uncertain court,

I bring the truth to light.

I protect what is normal for everyone.

That is my duty.

I am Judge Kiyoharu Ando,

presiding over this court.

This court is now in session.