Tokyo police punish 19 over wrongful arrests, issue apology
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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 released a review on Aug 7 acknowledging that it failed to thoroughly examine evidence that could have proven the men’s innocence.
It stated that prosecutors could have handled the bail applications more 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.
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
