Prosecutors Seek 3-Year Term for Ex-Tokyo Police Investigator Over Fire-Scene Cash Thefts
The court will issue a verdict on Oct. 16 following the defendant’s admission of the charges with the defense seeking a suspended sentence.
Overview
- According to the indictment, Ryōji Masano stole about ¥6.4 million at three residential fire scenes in Tokyo between October 2022 and January 2025.
- Prosecutors argued he abused knowledge gained through his duties as the fire-crime unit’s leader and targeted locations he believed would face limited scrutiny.
- A firefighter’s eyewitness account of Masano taking ¥1,000 at a January 2025 scene prompted the broader investigation.
- The Tokyo Metropolitan Police dismissed Masano in July for eight thefts, including the three charged cases, with reported losses totaling roughly ¥9 million.
- Prosecutors cited repeated offending and financial worries such as a mortgage and children’s tuition as context for their sentencing request.