Accusing the Innocent, one tragedy of Japan

I have heard of a few cases like this.  There was a Keio student who too, I believe was innocent.
The Keio teachers (my friends) who new this young man, knew him to be a very good student and a good person.  They had known him through 6 years of jr/sr high school.    I think the people that know you well, have a good rapport with what you are, and are not capable of.   



This young man was accused of groping late at night by a young woman.  He was grabbed by the
train line attendants then grilled by the police.   He too was released.    And according to the
Japan Today article that follows this implies innocence though the police will not tell you that.
They should, it is their job.



The Keio student unfortunately, was traumatized by this young woman and the police and jumped from a Kanagawa building four days later.  What a tragedy!    And what a waste.

Japan is wasting her youth on events like these.   A youth that is becoming a all too small minority as it is.    She needs to do away with the guilty until proven innocent model.   It doesn`t work.
How do you prove you are innocent when it is your word (only) against the accuser and the police.

 Some people really are innocent, but it is difficult to prove.  I think the innocent until guilty
model of justice, while not perfect, works much better.   The police have less power and I believe
fewer go to prison because of it.


Japan Today Story Follows:

TOKYO —

Shortly before midnight on Dec 10, 2009, a 25-year-old university worker named Shinsuke Harada was making his way through Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station on his way home. Suddenly a young woman cried out, “He touched me!”

The woman’s male companion grabbed Harada, apparently roughed him up a bit, and hauled him over to a station employee. Station officials brought in the police. After some seven hours of questioning, Harada was released. Dazed and humiliated, Harada took a subway to Waseda Station and jumped in front of a moving train.

On Jan 29, 2010, Tokyo Metro police processed the case as “chikan” – groping – and passed the documentation on to prosecutors, who quietly laid the matter to rest in view of Harada’s death.
On April 26 of this year, Harada’s mother filed a civil damages suit against the city of Tokyo, on the grounds that police got prosecutors involved even though they knew that Harada was innocent, causing his family to suffer social disgrace.

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