Antihero (アンチヒーロー)

As you all know,

when it comes to criminal cases,

Japan is often considered to be behind other countries.

For instance, in many countries,

the suspect has the right

to have an attorney present during questioning.

This is not the case in Japan.

If the suspect denies the crime, their detention is extended.

If they admit to the crime, they are granted bail.

Some refer to this system as "hostage justice," and criticize it.

It sounds as if the suspect is held hostage

and coerced into confessing.

Absurd!

Also, it is most regrettable

that due to the unlawful actions of one prosecutor,

trust in the prosecution has been significantly shaken.

This is truly disappointing.

My sincere apologies.

My sincere apologies.

Now, what will we do?

Here today, I want to strongly declare

that we should not be cowed and that we should remain confident!

We, the prosecution, obey the law,

are faithful to our duties, and do what must be done.

In the first place,

the people want guilty individuals to be punished.

We have taken their will seriously

and have been seeking the truth.

That is precisely how we've maintained

a conviction rate of 99.9%, a rarity even globally!

Now is the time to restore the authority of the prosecution...

and show the world

that we, the prosecution, represent justice!

I'm truly sorry!

But I won't let it end here.

We're working on finding a way

to get a retrial as soon as...

Thank you.

I don't blame my situation on you.

My dabbling in embezzlement

and my false confession...

They were all due to my own weakness.

There's no reason for you to apologize.

You're the one who sacrificed so much of your life for me and Saya.

It must've felt so long.

Thanks to you...

I was able to see Saya again.

Even yesterday, she showed me a picture.

Here are Mill and Mame.

Don't they look just like Cocoa?

I can't wait to show them to you.

My hands...

are warm.

I'm...

alive right now.

I was able to feel that again.

And that's truly enough for me.

Mr. Shimizu!

You have every right...

to experience more happiness!

I promised to secure an acquittal for you.

Please give me

just a little more...

a little more time.

ITOI FAMILY MURDERS CASE INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

Mr. Akizumi isn't coming out today either.

It seems he isn't even going home.

He's reviewing the case files he has already reviewed many times.

By the way, did you meet the reporter acquainted with Ms. Sawahara?

I learned a lot about the circumstances from 12 years ago,

but nothing decisive that would lead to a retrial.

I shouldn't be surprised.

Finding new evidence isn't so easy.

After all, it took five years to find that alibi footage.

I'm back.

Hey.

How did it go with your dad?

He refused to see me.

But I'll keep going

until he agrees to testify about the footage.

Please do.

We don't have any other options at the moment.

What's the matter, youngster?

How about we sort things out once?

On March 5th, 2012, at Mr. Makoto Itoi's home

in Hanamigawa Ward, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture,

his whole family was found dead.

The night before, the family had consulted a doctor,

citing symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.

But they passed away before dawn.

After the on-site investigation,

a high concentration of thallium was detected,

leading to the conclusion of poisoning.

According to neighbors,

around 7:30 p.m. on the night before their deaths,

the Itoi family hosted a dinner party with a guest.

The police investigated

under the assumption that this guest brought in the poison.

No hair, sebum, skin, or any other trace of the culprit was found at the scene.

Everyone related to Mr. Itoi was thoroughly investigated,

resulting in the arrest of Mr. Shimizu, who was close to the family.

However, on the night in question,

Mr. Shimizu was actually searching for Saya's stuffed animal in Hishimi Park.

According to Ms. Momose's file,

Mr. Shimizu was seen on covert footage captured by Mr. Hiyama at 7:41 p.m.

On the other hand, the suspected culprit visited the Itoi home around 7:30 p.m.

Given the distance,

it was impossible for Mr. Shimizu to be at Mr. Itoi's home at that time.

However, no one was aware of the existence of the footage at that point.

And only Saya knew that Mr. Shimizu had gone to a park.

The police believed

Mr. Shimizu had coached his 5-year-old daughter to say things.

Additionally, evidence of his embezzlement of company funds

and his conflicts with Mr. Itoi were uncovered,

further intensifying suspicion against him.

I suggest you all go through this as well.

ITOI FAMILY MURDERS CASE

I wonder what Ms. Momose was like.

She was quite accomplished.

What?

Mr. Aoyama, you knew her too?

She was my junior at university.

I also aspired to become an attorney back then, you know.

Is that when you got acquainted with Mr. Akizumi, then?

Yes.

I tried the bar exam four times, but failed.

Despite how he may seem, he can get extremely nervous.

When my wife became pregnant, I gave up and took a job as a salesperson.

But I reconnected with Mr. Akizumi five years ago.

That's when I learned about Ms. Momose's passing.

When I see your notebooks, Mr. Akamine,

they remind me of Ms. Momose.

She used to take notes just like you.

Quite a while ago,

I handed things I thought might be related to the incident over to Mr. Akizumi.

But as I was organizing, I found some more.

Thank you very much.

Come in.

She was investigating Mr. Shimizu's case...

the entire time she was in the hospital.

She questioned the doctors about poisons and gave them a hard time.

Go ahead.

This is the diary Reiko kept until she passed away.

I couldn't...

I'm already grateful that Mr. Akizumi is carrying on Reiko's wish.

And now, with another ally like you...

she must be pleased.

Since she was insistent...

I'm sure Mr. Shimizu is innocent.

Please help save Mr. Shimizu.

I'm back.

Welcome back.

Are those Ms. Momose's?

Look at all these labels!

I thought her notes might contain clues.

Was her mother well?

Yes.

Here.

It's Ms. Momose's diary.

April 1st.

I've been assigned to work under the Mr. Datehara!

He's the prosecutor everyone in prosecution looks up to.

I'll do my best.

June 10th.

I heard something troubling about Mr. Datehara.

In the Itoi family murders case in Chiba,

he supposedly suppressed evidence that could have proven Shimizu's alibi.

Here's the report on the theft case in Shinjuku.

Because of that incident...

Good work.

Mr. Datehara was promoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor.

Is something wrong?

Nothing.

Excuse me.

It's difficult to believe.

But...

if true, it's terrible.

June 21st.

I discussed this with a colleague.

I heard that Akizumi was brought in to assist back then.

After some digging, things really are strange.

Shimizu readily confessed to the embezzlement charges,

but he consistently denied the murders.

Even his detention period...

totaled 65 days.

It was extended for fabricated reasons, wasn't it?

I'm starting to think he might have been coerced into confessing.

Akizumi, do you know anything...

Any evidence?

Evidence that Mr. Datehara covered it up.

I don't...

If it's just rumors, it's not worth verifying.

As a prosecutor, you should have better things to do.

We already have enough criminals to deal with.

I later learned

that it was Akizumi who coerced Mr. Shimizu into confessing.

It was a mistake to seek his advice.

September 6th.

I met Detective Fukazawa.

It seems that rumors about Mr. Datehara were started because of what he let slip.