Kosuke Nozaki's estate lawsuit, Supreme Court ruling confirming donation to city

In a lawsuit in which the validity of the will of Kosuke Nozaki (77 years old at the time), a wealthy man from Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, who was known as the ``Don Juan of Kishu'' and died in 2018, the Supreme Court's Third Petty Bench (presiding judge Mami Okino) decided on the 2nd to dismiss Nozaki's brother's appeal. Dated September 30th. The first and second instance judgments have been finalized, recognizing the validity of a will in which he donated all of his assets, said to be over 1.3 billion yen, to the city.

According to the first and second instance judgments, it was discovered that after Nozaki's death, there was a handwritten will with a signature and seal affixed with the words, ``I transfer all my personal assets to Tanabe City.'' In 2019, the city announced that it would accept his inheritance, and his brother and other relatives filed a lawsuit.

The brothers claimed that the will was forged, but in 2014, the Wakayama District Court of First Instance determined, based on handwriting analysis, that it was ``certainly Nozaki's handwriting.'' The Osaka High Court of second instance also supported the first instance in 2015.