自民じみん派閥はばつの政治せいじ資金しきん事件じけん 検事けんじが“不適正てきせいな取とり調しらべ”

In the case involving political fundraising parties held by factions of the Liberal Democratic Party, interviews with related parties have revealed that the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office determined the questioning was improper, as the prosecutor in charge of interviewing the then-secretary—who was indicted without arrest along with a former member of the House of Councillors by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Offices Special Investigation Department—made remarks that mocked the secretary or demanded statements inconsistent with their memory.

Former House of Councillors member Yasumasa Ohno, who belonged to the former Abe faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, and his former secretary Yoshiko Iwata, have been indicted without detention for violating the Political Funds Control Act. They allegedly received over 51 million yen in kickbacks from the faction but failed to report the income in the financial statements of the former member’s political fund management organization.

Of these, it was learned through interviews with those involved that the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office had determined that improper questioning had taken place during the voluntary questioning of the former secretary.

The questioning was recorded on audio and video, and the prosecutor in charge, after comparing the former secretarys explanation regarding the illegality to someone from a foreign country who doesnt know the law, said, I want you to reflect on this and apologize for not knowing Japanese law.

It is said that he made remarks mocking with discriminatory expressions, such as saying, Its ridiculous that you think youre the only one fighting.

Also, during the inquiry about the amount of the kickback, You dont really know if its correct, right?

However, it is said that there were also remarks such as, But I need you to at least say that its correct, which seemed to pressure them to give statements that didnt match their memory.

On the other hand, it states that certain considerations were given to voluntariness and credibility, such as confirming whether to sign the written statement after obtaining advice from a lawyer.

The person in charge at the time was a male prosecutor who had been temporarily assigned to the special investigation unit from another district public prosecutors office, and he received guidance.

Regarding this, the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office stated, We cannot comment as this concerns matters related to the evidence in individual cases.

In recent years, a series of improper interrogations have come to light at the special investigation units of the Tokyo and Osaka District Public Prosecutors Offices.

Six years ago, in an embezzlement case investigated by the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department, a criminal trial is set to be held for the prosecutor in charge on charges of special public officer assault and abuse, for allegedly banging on the desk and shouting insults such as Dont underestimate the prosecution! during the interrogation.

Former Hiroshima City Council member, who was voluntarily questioned in the large-scale vote-buying case surrounding the House of Councillors election six years ago in which former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai was convicted, claimed that a prosecutor from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s special investigation unit suggested that he would not be indicted and urged him to admit to the purpose of the bribery.

In addition, in a fraud case investigated by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Offices Special Investigation Department four years ago, the president of a company who remained silent during questioning after being arrested claimed that the prosecutor in charge pressured him to confess by saying things like, If you see the prosecutors office as an enemy, youre basically like an anti-social group, or completely so, and verbally abused him.

For all of the interrogations, the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office has determined that there were inappropriate aspects.

Former prosecutor and lawyer Masataka Kamei: “Establishing basic education is essential.” Former prosecutor and lawyer Masataka Kamei said, “The fact that such behavior occurs even when recording is taking place probably means that there was an awareness that these actions would not be considered problematic.”

The cases handled by the special investigation unit attract public attention, and resolving these cases inevitably becomes a top priority. However, there is no education to correct inappropriate interrogations, and I think this issue gets buried within individual common sense and judgment.

He points out, Rather than leaving it up to the individual judgment or sensibility of prosecutors, it is necessary to establish a systematic basic education on what constitutes appropriate expressions.