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Straits Times
4 days ago
- Straits Times
Tokyo police punish 19 over wrongful arrests, issue apology
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox TOKYO – Tokyo police on Aug 7 announced disciplinary measures against 19 high-ranking officials over the wrongful arrests and indictments of three men in 2020 in connection with a case involving the suspected unauthorised export of sensitive equipment. In a rare public apology, Superintendent General Yuji Sakoda acknowledged the Metropolitan Police Department's failings, saying the incident caused 'considerable stress and burden' to the president of machinery maker Ohkawara Kakohki Co. and two others. The Metropolitan Police Department also released a review report concluding that dysfunction in the investigative chain of command led to the wrongful arrests. The Supreme Public Prosecutors Office also released a review on Aug 7 acknowledging it failed to thoroughly examine evidence that could have proven the men's innocence. It also stated prosecutors 'should deeply regret' that the bail applications could have been handled flexibly, as one of the arrested men died of lung cancer while in detention. Company president Masaaki Okawara, 76, and the two other men were arrested and indicted between March and June 2020 on suspicion of illegally exporting spray dryers that could be used to produce biological agents. Prosecutors dropped the charges in July 2021. In May 2025, the Tokyo High Court ruled the arrests and indictments were unlawful and ordered the Tokyo government and the state to compensate the three men. After the ruling was finalised, representatives of the police and prosecutors visited the company to apologise. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Cambodia, Thailand agree on Asean observers monitoring truce, but fundamental differences remain Business Who loses the most from Trump's tariffs? Who wins? Singapore Flying greener will come at a price, industry players warn Singapore Liquor licences for F&B, nightlife venues extended to 4am in Boat Quay, Clarke Quay Opinion At 79, Liew Mun Leong has no time to be sentimental Singapore Student found with vape taken to hospital after behaving aggressively in school; HSA investigating Singapore Chikungunya cases in Singapore double; authorities monitoring situation closely Singapore CDC and SG60 vouchers listed on e-commerce platforms will be taken down: CDCs Mr Okawara said at a press conference in Tokyo that he thought the reviews were 'not quite the detail I was expecting'. Among the 19 who were reprimanded were retired officials such as Mr Yasuo Niimi, former head of the Tokyo police's public safety bureau, and his successor, Mr Tomohisa Kondo. While they could not be formally disciplined, they were still named as responsible. The police report said an experienced on-site commander prioritised building a case against the accused and overlooked evidence that pointed to their innocence, creating an environment where subordinates found it difficult to object. The report noted that a section chief failed to recognise the lack of communication and discord within the investigation team. The chief also neglected to properly supervise the team, including the on-site commander, and did not ensure proper reporting to the bureau head. As a result, contradictory information was rarely conveyed to the bureau chief, and no meaningful oversight was exercised, the report said. To prevent a recurrence, the police will hold investigation meetings led by the bureau chief for key cases, requiring members to report all information, including details unfavourable to a case's prosecution. KYODO NEWS
4 days ago
Top Prosecutors Office Admits Lapses in Ohkawara Kakohki Case
News from Japan Aug 7, 2025 23:58 (JST) Tokyo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Supreme Public Prosecutors Office admitted Thursday that public prosecutors failed to thoroughly examine exculpatory evidence in the wrongful indictment of executives at machinery maker Ohkawara Kakohki Co., who were later acquitted. In a report, the office also said that prosecutors failed to accurately understand the case. No disciplinary action was taken against those involved in the indictment and trial. "Taking the case seriously as an issue for the entire prosecution, we have issued instructions to the public prosecutors involved in the indictment," Deputy Prosecutor-General Hiroshi Yamamoto said at a press conference. "We deeply apologize for the significant physical and mental burdens caused to those associated with the company," he added. The report said that, given the prosecution had consistently opposed the release on bail of former advisor Shizuo Aishima, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer while in detention and later died, it would have been appropriate to take a flexible approach, such as refraining from opposing his bail in consideration of his health condition. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Asahi Shimbun
21-06-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
Apologies issued to falsely accused firm; but too late, says president
Hirohide Mori, far left, from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, and Tetsuro Kamata, deputy superintendent-general of the Metropolitan Police Department, apologize to Masaaki Okawara, second from right, and other Ohkawara Kakohki Co. officials on June 20. (Tetsuro Takehana) High-ranking law enforcement officials in Tokyo apologized to past and current executives of a company that manufactures spray dryers for dragging them through an investigation that a high court concluded was illegal. Tetsuro Kamata, deputy superintendent-general of the Metropolitan Police Department, was joined by Hirohide Mori, head of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's public security division, in the June 20 mission to set matters straight. The first part of the June 20 meeting at the Yokohama headquarters of Ohkawara Kakohki Co. was open to the media. Kamata apologized for the psychological burden placed on Masaaki Okawara, the company president, and Junji Shimada, a former executive, by the investigation, while Mori begged forgiveness for acting on the request by prosecutors to hand down indictments and detain the pair. A third individual who was indicted died before his name was cleared. Okawara said the apology should have been made much earlier and added, 'I want your organization to become one where such things never happen again.' But the meeting did not go smoothly. Kamata at one point referred to Shimada as 'Yamamoto' and Mori also mixed up the name of the company. Bereaved family members of the late Shizuo Aishima, a company adviser, refused to attend the June 20 meeting on grounds they could not accept an apology unless the root cause of the miscarriage of justice was made clear. Tsuyoshi Takada, a lawyer representing the company officials, briefed reporters about what transpired during the part of the meeting closed to the media. Takada said an apology was offered on behalf of Takako Tsukabe, the prosecutor who was in charge of the case that led to the indictments. In her apology, Tsukabe said more care should have been taken before deciding to hand down indictments. But in her testimony during the lawsuit brought by Okawara and his fellow plaintiffs, Tsukabe said she would have made the same decision and felt no mistake had been made. In 2020, Okawara and his two colleagues were arrested and indicted on suspicion of violating the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law for exporting spray-drying machines that could be used for military purposes without a license. They were accused of exporting spray dryers without obtaining government permission. But before the case went to trial in 2021, prosecutors dropped the charges, having come to the realization that the plaintiffs were probably correct in their claim that the equipment was not subject to export restrictions. In May, the Tokyo High Court increased the compensation police and prosecutors were ordered to pay and ruled that the investigation was illegal because there was no rational basis for making the arrests and indictments. (This article was written by Koichi Fujimaki and Hiraku Higa.)
Kyodo News
20-06-2025
- Kyodo News
Police, prosecutors apologize to 2 men over illicit probe
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 20:13 | All, Japan Tokyo police and prosecutors on Friday apologized in person to two men over their wrongful arrest and indictment in 2020 in a case involving the suspected unauthorized export of sensitive equipment. The apology comes after the finalization last week of a Tokyo High Court ruling that ordered the metropolitan government and state to compensate Masaaki Okawara, president of Ohkawara Kakohki Co., and Junji Shimada, one of the company's former directors. Tetsuro Kamata, deputy superintendent general of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Hirohide Mori, head of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's public security bureau, apologized for the stress the men had to undergo due to the investigation during a visit to the head office of the Yokohama-based machinery maker. Okawara, 76, who was detained for nearly a year, said in response, "It would have been better if the apology had come much earlier." The family of Shizuo Aishima, a former adviser to the company who died in February 2021 at age 72 after falling ill during detention, was not present during the meeting. In a statement issued through their lawyer, the family said they "cannot accept an apology under the current circumstances." During the meeting, Kamata mistakenly called Shimada, 72, "Yamamoto," while Mori also referred to the company by the wrong name. Kamata told reporters afterward that authorities failed to thoroughly investigate the case, which involved the export of spray-drying apparatus that investigators suspected could be used in the process of making biological weapons. "We will review (the case) carefully without preconceptions," he said. The company has been seeking a third-party review of the investigation, but the police and prosecutors have expressed reluctance to accept such a probe. Okawara, Shimada and Aishima were arrested and indicted between March and June 2020 on suspicion of exporting spray dryers capable of producing biological agents without authorization. But the prosecutors withdrew the indictment in July 2021. In late May, the Tokyo High Court ruled the investigation of the three men was illegal and ordered the metropolitan government and state to pay about 166 million yen ($1.14 million) in damages to the plaintiffs. Related coverage: Compensation by Tokyo gov't, state finalized over illicit probe High court orders Tokyo gov't, state to compensate for illicit probe
Kyodo News
20-06-2025
- Kyodo News
Police, prosecutors apologize to 2 men over illicit probe
KYODO NEWS - 3 minutes ago - 20:13 | All, Japan Tokyo police and prosecutors on Friday apologized in person to two men over their wrongful arrest and indictment in 2020 in a case involving the suspected unauthorized export of sensitive equipment. The apology comes after the finalization last week of a Tokyo High Court ruling that ordered the metropolitan government and state to compensate Masaaki Okawara, president of Ohkawara Kakohki Co., and Junji Shimada, one of the company's former directors. Tetsuro Kamata, deputy superintendent general of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Hirohide Mori, head of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's public security bureau, apologized for the stress the men had to undergo due to the investigation during a visit to the head office of the Yokohama-based machinery maker. Okawara, 76, who was detained for nearly a year, said in response, "It would have been better if the apology had come much earlier." The family of Shizuo Aishima, a former adviser to the company who died in February 2021 at age 72 after falling ill during detention, was not present during the meeting. In a statement issued through their lawyer, the family said they "cannot accept an apology under the current circumstances." During the meeting, Kamata mistakenly called Shimada, 72, "Yamamoto," while Mori also referred to the company by the wrong name. Kamata told reporters afterward that authorities failed to thoroughly investigate the case, which involved the export of spray-drying apparatus that investigators suspected could be used in the process of making biological weapons. "We will review (the case) carefully without preconceptions," he said. The company has been seeking a third-party review of the investigation, but the police and prosecutors have expressed reluctance to accept such a probe. Okawara, Shimada and Aishima were arrested and indicted between March and June 2020 on suspicion of exporting spray dryers capable of producing biological agents without authorization. But the prosecutors withdrew the indictment in July 2021. In late May, the Tokyo High Court ruled the investigation of the three men was illegal and ordered the metropolitan government and state to pay about 166 million yen ($1.14 million) in damages to the plaintiffs. Related coverage: Compensation by Tokyo gov't, state finalized over illicit probe High court orders Tokyo gov't, state to compensate for illicit probe
