The Osaka High Court on Thursday overturned the conviction of a 35-year-old man for fatally injuring his 2-year-old adopted daughter.
The defendant, Takahiro Imanishi, was originally charged in 2018 with assaulting his adopted daughter in December 2017, leading to her death from an acute subdural hematoma.
In the appeal trial Thursday, presiding Judge Kyoji Ishikawa dismissed the previous ruling by the Osaka District Court, which had sentenced Imanishi to 12 years in prison, stating that “the possibility of asphyxiation due to vomiting or aspiration cannot be excluded.” The court found Imanishi not guilty on all charges, including fatal assault.
“There were no external injuries on the child’s body, and no evidence of abuse could be identified,” Ishikawa said in the ruling. He also noted a lack of proof that Imanishi had thrown the child onto a futon or sofa, stating, “It is difficult to conclude that external force was applied to the head.”
Speaking at a news conference following the verdict, Imanishi said, “I am relieved to have heard the not guilty ruling.” He also expressed a desire for closure, adding, “I just want to be freed from the criminal trial process” and urged prosecutors not to appeal the decision.
Imanishi had been released from the Osaka Detention Center in July under the “guarantor supervision system,” which allowed his release upon payment of a surety bond and oversight by relatives and employers.
Following the ruling, Tsunekazu Kobashi, deputy chief prosecutor at the Osaka High Public Prosecutors Office, said, “We will carefully review the contents of the judgment and respond appropriately.”
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