Overview

• Former MPD investigator Ryōji Masano, 51, was convicted of stealing cash during fire-scene probes and received a three-year prison term suspended for five years.
• According to the indictment, he took about ¥6.4 million from three residential fire sites in Tokyo between October 2022 and January 2025.
• Presiding Judge Yū Suzuki said the crimes abused a police position and undermined public trust, calling the conduct particularly malicious.
• The string of thefts came to light in January 2025 when a firefighter saw Masano pocket ¥1,000 at a scene, prompting an internal probe.
• The Tokyo Metropolitan Police dismissed him in July, alleging eight thefts totaling roughly ¥9 million, and prosecutors had sought a three-year prison term while the defense argued for leniency based on compensation and apology.