Ohkawara Kakohki Co. President Masaaki Okawara, center, and others raise banners including one reading “complete victory” following the Tokyo High Court ruling ordering the Tokyo metropolitan and national governments to compensate them, in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward on May 28, 2025. (Mainichi/Yuki Miyatake)
TOKYO (Kyodo) — Tokyo police on Thursday announced disciplinary measures against 19 high-ranking members over the wrongful arrests and indictments of three men in 2020 in connection with a case involving the suspected unauthorized 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 illegal arrests.
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 this year, the Tokyo High Court ruled the arrests and indictments unlawful and ordered the Tokyo government and the state to compensate the three men. After the ruling was finalized, representatives of the police and prosecutors visited the company to apologize.
The 19 included retired officials such as Yasuo Niimi, former head of the Tokyo police’s public safety bureau, and his successor, Tomohisa Kondo. While they could not be formally disciplined, they were still named as responsible.
The report said an experienced on-site commander prioritized building a case against the target and overlooked evidence to the contrary, creating an environment where subordinates found it difficult to raise objections.
The report noted that a section chief failed to recognize the lack of communication and discord within the investigation team. The chief also neglected to supervise the team, including the on-site commander, and did not ensure proper reporting to the bureau head.
As a result, information that contradicted the investigation 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 unfavorable details.
The National Police Agency also plans to instruct police nationwide to improve transparency in investigations involving suspected unauthorized exports of sensitive equipment by recording audio and video during questioning, the report said.
AloJapan.com