Takehiko Hirasawa has devoted himself to clearing the name of his adoptive father, who was convicted in the Teigin Incident, the most notorious mass-poisoning case in postwar Japan.

"I cannot leave the erroneous ruling on my father as it is," the 49-year-old Tokyo resident said, showing his readiness to continue the struggle even though the incident took place 60 years ago this month.

His adoptive father, Sadamichi Hirasawa, was sentenced to death in 1950 on charges of fatally poisoning 12 people at a Teikoku Ginko (Imperial Bank) branch in Tokyo on Jan. 26, 1948, and seizing cash and checks. He confessed during interrogation but later retracted his admission and pleaded innocent in court.