State, Tokyo will not appeal high court ruling on chemical machinery maker
The central and Tokyo metropolitan governments say they will not appeal a recent high court ruling on the wrongful arrest and detention of three company executives accused of illegal exports.
The Japanese prosecutors' office and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department each announced on Wednesday that, after closely examining the ruling, they would not appeal to the Supreme Court. They issued an apology to chemical machinery manufacturer Ohkawara Kakohki and related parties.
Last month, the Tokyo High Court upheld a lower court ruling and recognized the investigations by Tokyo police and prosecutors as unlawful. The court ordered the governments to pay over 166 million yen, or about 1.14 million dollars, in damages to the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs are two executives and the bereaved family of another executive of the manufacturer.
In 2020, Tokyo police arrested the three executives of the Yokohama-based company for allegedly exporting illegally to China and elsewhere machinery that could be converted for military use.
Although they were indicted, prosecutors later dropped the charges in a rare move, and the three men were declared innocent.
Tokyo police said on Wednesday that they deeply apologize for causing great pain and trouble to the plaintiffs and other concerned parties.
The police also said they have set up a team headed by the department's deputy chief to identify issues in their investigations and draw up measures to prevent a recurrence.
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office issued a similar apology on the same day. It also revealed that the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office will examine the investigations by the prosecutors.
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