Overview

• On Aug. 25, senior officials from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office, and the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office visited a Yokohama cemetery and apologized before the grave of former adviser Shizuo Ashima.
• The officials acknowledged illegal investigation steps, including wrongful arrest and prosecution, improper detention requests, and opposition to bail that the family says cost Ashima treatment opportunities.
• Ashima’s relatives accepted the apology after authorities agreed to reference the illegality cited in their verification report, and they demanded a renewed investigation and reconsideration of disciplinary measures.
• Deputy Chief Prosecutor Hiroshi Yamamoto of the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office said they are not considering further re-examination or additional sanctions at this stage.
• In May, the Tokyo High Court finalized a ruling that the police and prosecutorial investigations were illegal; on Aug. 7, an internal report flagged failures such as insufficient review of exculpatory evidence and resistance to bail, yet no individual disciplinary action has been taken.