The Tokyo High Court has ruled that higher damages be paid to the wife of a Nepalese man who died after being restrained by the Metropolitan Police Department. The appellate court increased the amount from about ¥1 million to ¥39 million, deeming the physical restraint illegal.
In 2017, the Nepalese man, then aged 39, was arrested on suspicion of stealing lost or mislaid property. He became violent in a Metropolitan Police Department detention facility and was restrained with a belt and handcuffs. He subsequently lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital, where he died.
The Tokyo District Court, in a March 2023 ruling, held the MPD responsible for the delay in transporting him to the hospital. However, it set damages at about ¥1 million, considering Nepalese laws and court precedents.
On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, the Tokyo High Court, presided over by Judge Maki Aizawa, ruled that "the man was restrained with excessively strong force, causing severe restrictions to his blood flow." The court determined that he died from the illegal physical restraint by the MPD. Damages were increased to about ¥39 million, including lost wages and compensation.
The wife had argued that her husband's death resulted from illegal restraint and sought compensation from the Tokyo metropolitan government and others. An MPD official said, "We will examine the ruling in detail and consider our next step."
The decision highlights concerns over police restraint practices and human rights protections.