On August 17, 1949 (the 23rd of the seventh lunar month), the Matsukawa Incident occurred in Japan.

At 3 am on August 17, 1949, the upper passenger train on the Matsukawa-Kanagawa section of the Tohoku Main Line in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan derailed and overturned. The driver and three crew members died, and 30 passengers were injured.

The next day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shigeru Yoshida falsely accused the trade unions without investigation. Prosecutors charged 10 members of the National Railway Trade Union and 10 members of the Toshiba Matsukawa Factory Trade Union with subversion and death by train. The Japanese government took the opportunity to persecute the trade unions and the Japanese Communist Party.

In 1950, the Fukushima District Court initially convicted all defendants, including 10 of whom were sentenced to death. In 1953, the Sendai High Court reviewed and sentenced 17 people to guilt and 3 not guilty. However, it is generally believed in society that the charge is not guilty. In 1959, the Supreme Court overruled the original judgment and returned the case to the Sendai High Court.

In 1961, the Sendai High Court acquitted all defendants, and the Supreme Court confirmed this in 1963. In 1970, the Japanese government had to pay 76.25 million yen in compensation to the original defendant.