Overview

• Kanagawa Prefectural Police released a verification report acknowledging inappropriate handling that missed opportunities to protect victim Asahi Okazaki and misjudged the case’s urgency and criminality.
• The force apologized and announced organizational changes, including a counselor-level command post for stalking and DV cases, a dedicated unit to continuously manage cases, stricter station guidance, and renewed basics training for all investigators.
• The National Police Agency’s chief, Yoshinobu Kusunoki, said guidance to prefectural forces will be strengthened to ensure effective, leadership-driven prevention measures, and the public safety minister urged swift implementation.
• Disciplinary actions reached an unusual scale, with 43 personnel sanctioned, including cautions for the Kanagawa police chief and penalties for local station leaders tied to the case response.
• In separate developments, the Nagano quadruple-murder trial opened with the defendant invoking silence as the defense contests criminal responsibility and a colleague testified he was pursued at gunpoint, while Gifu police plan to re-arrest two suspects on murder charges in a body disposal case; the suspects deny involvement.