Overview
- The National Police Agency on December 24 issued a director-general’s caution to former Hyogo police chief Noriyuki Murai, who resigned the same day.
- A senior inspector serving as a station chief received a departmental admonition and other senior officers were orally warned, actions categorized as supervisory measures rather than formal disciplinary punishments.
- Investigators found that free bottles of high-end sake and whiskey were provided at a Kobe yakiniku restaurant run by a contractor, and the senior inspector also accepted a 20,000-yen taxi fare, bringing his total benefits to about 48,000 yen.
- Authorities said the restaurant owner’s firms operate police-related businesses, including the prefectural headquarters cafeteria and parking-violation monitoring, but reported no confirmation that services amounted to preferential treatment tied to those contracts.
- The contractor told Jiji Press the offerings were simple courtesy with no benefit to his businesses and described ties developing through an introduction by a prefectural assembly member; Murai is reported to have attended about two gatherings between late 2023 and early 2025.