Superintendent at Japan's Hyogo police hid handcuff loss for 12 years
KOBE -- A superintendent at Hyogo Prefectural Police concealed that he had lost a pair of handcuffs for 12 years, and revealed the fact just before retirement recently, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned through a freedom-of-information request.
The superintendent in his 60s, who was scheduled to retire in March, confessed to the loss before returning items that had been issued to him and left the force after receiving an admonishment from the police affairs department chief. In the investigation, he reportedly explained, "I didn't come clean because I wanted to advance in my career."
According to a source close to the investigation, the former superintendent lost a pair of handcuffs and its key around July 2012 while serving as a chief inspector in the security division at a police station in the prefecture's Toban area. He searched for the items but could not find them, and did not report the loss to his superiors.
The prefectural police conduct regular inspections of possessions, but at the time of the loss, the former superintendent was responsible for checking his subordinates' items and concealed his own loss. The handcuffs remain missing, and the circumstances of the loss are unclear, but there is apparently no evidence of misuse.
He reported the loss March 26. The prefectural police's inspector's office carried out an investigation over two days and issued an admonishment March 28. On March 27, the police issued a notice requiring all employees to undergo a visual inspection of their possessions.
(Japanese original by Yuta Shibayama, Kobe Bureau)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
9 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Individuals who spread false info about Hyogo governor candidate referred to prosecutors
KOBE -- Several people involved in spreading multiple false posts on X (formerly Twitter) about Kazumi Inamura, a candidate in last fall's Hyogo gubernatorial election, have been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Act, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned from a source close to the investigation. Hyogo Prefectural Police sent papers on the accused to prosecutors June 20. The opinions attached by the police on the handling of each individual have not been disclosed. The Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office will carefully determine whether criminal responsibility can be pursued. Inamura, former mayor of Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, ran against Motohiko Saito in the November 2024 gubernatorial election, in which the latter was reelected. According to her support group, during the campaign period, false claims were posted on X, such as "Inamura is promoting foreign residents' voting rights." The support group filed a criminal complaint regarding these posts. The prefectural police also sent prosecutors documents the same day accusing unspecified suspects of obstruction of business by deception over the freezing of an X account run by Inamura's support group due to alleged false reports. (Japanese original by Yuta Shibayama and Yuria Kiyama, Kobe Bureau)
The Mainichi
16 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Lone Japanese activist attracts attention from foreigners through videos posted online
TOKYO -- In late May, a 49-year-old man was seen speaking to passersby in front of JR Shinjuku Station in the Japanese capital, with a handmade sign that read "Stop Gaza Genocide." "We have remained silent without raising our voices against war crimes while living in a country where freedom of expression is guaranteed," said Yusuke Furusawa, a Tokyo resident. "Perhaps you think it's simply because you're not interested or because it doesn't concern you," he continued. His husky voice faded into the evening crowd. He began his solo street activities in October 2023. After contracting COVID-19 and returning to work, he experienced three months of poor health. When browsing social media on his smartphone, he was constantly bombarded with videos depicting the devastation in the Palestinian territory of Gaza that has been attacked by the Israeli military. He couldn't sit idly by. Since then, come rain or wind, he has been demonstrating daily in front of stations like Shinjuku and Shibuya. Furusawa works as a day laborer creating sets for television programs. He dedicates about an hour to his activities after work on weekdays and whenever possible on weekends. "My voice has become hoarse. But since I work in set construction, it doesn't affect my job," he said. The turning point in his solitary struggle was video. He started recording videos on his smartphone for "security" after facing violence from foreigners believed to be Israeli and being harassed by drunk people during his activities. When he posted snippets on social media, he received reactions from around the world. Over the past year and a half, his Instagram followers have increased by 170,000. Being interviewed by a television station in the Middle East also accelerated the spread of his activities. In reality, most people who approach Furusawa on the street are foreigners. It's not uncommon for them to say, "I learned about you on social media and came to meet you." Almost every day, he receives direct messages from foreigners staying in Japan saying things like, "Where are you today?" He communicates with these foreigners using simple English and body language. His keffiyeh, a traditional Arab scarf he wears around his neck during his activities, and the bag adorned with the Palestinian flag are gifts from people he connected with on social media. Furusawa discovered his passion for theater while attending a private university in Kanagawa Prefecture. He graduated during the early "employment ice age," and chose to continue pursuing his love of theater while working part-time. His acting activities continue to this day. Observing him standing in front of the station for a while, a pair of young women engrossed in their smartphones cast harsh glances at Furusawa, who didn't stop speaking. A man in a suit on the phone hurriedly covered one ear and rushed past, clicking his tongue. A foreigner with tears in her eyes approached him, and they exchanged words for about a minute. The woman, who told Furusawa that she also thought the current situation was wrong, was Israeli. He conveyed his thoughts to her, saying, "I am complaining to the government. This is not a criticism of you." Through his activities, he has experienced both solidarity and conflict. "I believe human connections are also a part of politics," he commented. When he uploads videos to social media, complaints fly in. "This is pointless," "Go there yourself," "It's annoying,"... He's even been told directly, "You're noisy." "I'm aware it's noisy. If possible, I want to forcefully intrude into your silence and field of vision. I don't think it will have an effect, nor do I believe I can change anything alone, nor do I intend to change the awareness of passersby," Furusawa said. So why does he stand on the street every day? He commented, "I live with fundamental human rights guaranteed by the Constitution. If there are people whose rights are being violated, I believe I must raise my voice, even if it's in another country. Whether it has meaning or not is irrelevant; it's just the right thing to do, isn't it?"
Japan Today
19 hours ago
- Japan Today
Tokio pop group member removed from TV show over past conduct
A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV program due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said Friday. Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from "The Tetsuwan Dash," a variety program aired by Nippon Television Network Corp. and fronted by the members of Tokio. Neither Kokubun, his company nor the TV network has elaborated on what the breaches entailed, but according to a source close to the matter, they involved behavior that could be considered sexual harassment. The decision to remove Kokubun was approved at an extraordinary board meeting, based on findings from a third-party probe headed by lawyers. Kokubun has accepted the decision, the network said. In remarks to reporters, Hiroyuki Fukuda, the network's president, declined to elaborate further on the cases, citing a need to "protect privacy." He said it was not a criminal matter. According to Fukuda, the probe was established after the misconduct came to light in late May. "The Tetsuwan Dash" will continue broadcasting, the network said. Following the announcement, Kokubun said he is indefinitely suspending his activities in a release on the Tokio company website. In a statement of apology, he said that "my lack of awareness for the situation I am in, my naivety, my arrogance and my inappropriate behavior have caused everything." Kokubun debuted with the then five-member Tokio in 1994 and has an extensive career in television and radio. After the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, he helped promote local farming produce by appearing in commercials. His removal from the Nippon Television program comes amid increased scrutiny of Japan's entertainment industry following recent revelations such as a sexual misconduct scandal that emerged at Fuji Television Network Inc. involving popular former TV host Masahiro Nakai. Tokio's former agency Johnny & Associates Inc. also renamed itself and a separate agency was established after hundreds of sexual abuse allegations against its late founder Johnny Kitagawa. © KYODO
