Latest news with #OsakaDistrictPublicProsecutorsOffice
7 days ago
- Politics
Japan Panel Calls for Expanding Interrogation Recordings
News from Japan Politics Jul 24, 2025 18:30 (JST) Tokyo, July 24 (Jiji Press)--An expert panel of Japan's Justice Ministry in a report on Thursday called for establishing a new forum to discuss an update of the criminal procedure law, including expanding the scope of cases subject to video and audio recordings of suspect interrogations. Mandatory recordings of law-enforcement authorities' interrogations were introduced in 2019 through a revision of the law prompted by a high-profile evidence-tampering scandal at the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation division in 2010. The requirement covers cases independently investigated by public prosecutors and those to be handled in lay judge trials. The proportion of cases in which interrogations were recorded, however, has remained at 2-3 pct, and bar associations and other organizations are calling for an expansion of the range of cases subject to such recordings. The expert panel said that the interrogation recording system as a whole has no major problems. Meanwhile, it urged the ministry to take necessary measures through constant reviews of the law and its operation, noting that inappropriate interrogations were conducted during recordings in some cases. The panel also asked the ministry to consider setting up a new system to speed up criminal procedures in cases where suspects or defendants admit their guilt and to allow lawyers to be present at interrogations. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Mainichi
05-07-2025
- The Mainichi
Osaka prosecutor who accused boss of rape faces backlash
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- In Japan, prosecutors are powerful public officials who are meant to protect the public from rapists and other criminals. But what if the chief prosecutor is an accused rapist himself? That's the explosive charge leveled by Hikari (a pseudonym), a female prosecutor with the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office who says she was raped by her boss in 2018. Her pain did not end after the alleged attack. She says it got worse due to a campaign by former chief prosecutor Kentaro Kitagawa and others to silence her, and a colleague who slandered her by spreading rumors claiming she had romantic feelings for Kitagawa. Hikari's quest for justice is the latest MeToo case in Japan involving women who refused to be silenced after being assaulted by establishment figures. They include filmmaker Shiori Ito and former Ground Self-Defense Force member Rina Gonoi. Kitagawa, 65, has been indicted and initially admitted the rape charge, but later recanted, saying the sexual encounter was consensual. On May 21, Hikari -- not her real name -- held a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo in which she disclosed a handwritten letter she had received from Kitagawa, asking her to keep quiet about what happened. According to the indictment, in September 2018, Hikari drank at a social gathering for work and became intoxicated before trying to catch a taxi. Kitagawa half-forced his way into the vehicle and took Hikari to his official residence where he raped her. A groggy Hikari regained consciousness and pleaded for Kitagawa to stop, but he continued the sexual assault, telling her, "You are my woman now." In an interview with Kyodo News in early May, Hikari said she believes she was "bullied by the prosecutors' organization" into initially not speaking publicly about the incident. She wishes to remain anonymous as she intends to continue her work. Hikari developed post-traumatic stress disorder and was unable to continue work as a prosecutor, a job she loved. In Kitagawa's six-page letter written to Hikari, dated Oct. 28, 2019, he apologizes for the "irreparable damage" his actions caused and for the fact that his apology following the incident was insufficient. But after begging Hikari's forgiveness several times, Kitagawa asks her to keep the rape secret. "If this incident becomes public, I will not be able to live on, and I have decided that I will have no choice but to commit suicide," the letter reads. The scandal would harm Kitagawa and the Public Prosecutors Office, leading to resignations by other high-ranking officials, it adds. At the press conference, Hikari recalled that she was too scared to speak out about what happened. She finally decided she could not live without holding Kitagawa responsible and filed a formal report in February 2024 demanding strict punishment. She said she returned 10 million yen ($70,000) in compensation that Kitagawa had paid her and her husband. "My dignity as a human being and as a prosecutor was trampled on, my body and soul harmonious life with my family, my precious job, the time I had spent working tainted and my future was stolen from me," she said. Kitagawa was arrested in June 2024 on a charge of quasi-forcible sexual intercourse and indicted on the same charge in July. At the first hearing of his trial in October, Kitagawa admitted to the indictment, saying he had "no intention of fighting the case," and apologized for "causing serious and severe harm to the victim." However, the situation took a dramatic turn in December when his new defense council made it clear that Kitagawa would be denying the charge. He suddenly claimed there was consent and no intention to commit a crime. The trial has not been held since he changed his plea to not guilty. Hikari's trauma continues to this day. After returning to work briefly in September 2024, a female deputy prosecutor in the same department, on the same floor, began circulating rumors about the incident and her involvement with Kitagawa. Hikari refers to this as a "secondary rape." According to Hikari, the deputy prosecutor leaked her personal information and details of the sexual assault, and said her victim's report and PTSD claims were fraudulent. Hikari was again forced to take sick leave. Hikari filed claims of defamation and harassment among other charges against the deputy prosecutor, but the woman was not charged and only received a warning. Hikari and her lawyer are preparing to file a review with the Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution, claiming the decision not to prosecute the deputy prosecutor is unjust. She is also calling for the establishment of an independent committee to review the responses to her case. "Harassment is rampant in the Public Prosecutors Office," she said. "I believe that both the Kitagawa case and the further accusations by the deputy public prosecutor are the result of this kind of prosecutorial terrain." In an email to Hikari's lawyer, a high-ranking official of the Osaka High Public Prosecutors Office said the office stands by its decision not to pursue a case against the deputy prosecutor based on the law and evidence. The official also argues further that publicly speaking about the incident "undermines the credibility of the office." "This is not an attempt to keep her quiet or a threat, but an obvious request, so we ask that she refrain from saying she has been told to shut up or threatened," the official said. (By Aya Tamura)
Kyodo News
30-06-2025
- Kyodo News
FEATURE: Osaka prosecutor who accused boss of rape faces backlash
By Aya Tamura, KYODO NEWS - 9 minutes ago - 09:05 | All, Japan, Feature In Japan, prosecutors are powerful public officials who are meant to protect the public from rapists and other criminals. But what if the chief prosecutor is an accused rapist himself? That's the explosive charge leveled by Hikari, a female prosecutor with the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office who says she was raped by her boss in 2018. Her pain did not end after the alleged attack. She says it got worse due to a campaign by former chief prosecutor Kentaro Kitagawa and others to silence her, and a colleague who slandered her by spreading rumors claiming she had romantic feelings for Kitagawa. Hikari's quest for justice is the latest MeToo case in Japan involving women who refused to be silenced after being assaulted by establishment figures. They include filmmaker Shiori Ito and former Ground Self-Defense Force member Rina Gonoi. Kitagawa, 65, has been indicted and initially admitted the rape charge, but later recanted, saying the sexual encounter was consensual. On May 21, Hikari -- not her real name -- held a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo in which she disclosed a handwritten letter she had received from Kitagawa, asking her to keep quiet about what happened. According to the indictment, in September 2018, Hikari drank at a social gathering for work and became intoxicated before trying to catch a taxi. Kitagawa half-forced his way into the vehicle and took Hikari to his official residence where he raped her. A groggy Hikari regained consciousness and pleaded for Kitagawa to stop, but he continued the sexual assault, telling her, "You are my woman now." In an interview with Kyodo News in early May, Hikari said she believes she was "bullied by the prosecutors' organization" into initially not speaking publicly about the incident. She wishes to remain anonymous as she intends to continue her work. Hikari developed post-traumatic stress disorder and was unable to continue work as a prosecutor, a job she loved. In Kitagawa's six-page letter written to Hikari, dated Oct. 28, 2019, he apologizes for the "irreparable damage" his actions caused and for the fact that his apology following the incident was insufficient. But after begging Hikari's forgiveness several times, Kitagawa asks her to keep the rape secret. "If this incident becomes public, I will not be able to live on, and I have decided that I will have no choice but to commit suicide," the letter reads. The scandal would harm Kitagawa and the Public Prosecutors Office, leading to resignations by other high-ranking officials, it adds. At the press conference, Hikari recalled that she was too scared to speak out about what happened. She finally decided she could not live without holding Kitagawa responsible and filed a formal report in February 2024 demanding strict punishment. She said she returned 10 million yen ($70,000) in compensation that Kitagawa had paid her and her husband. "My dignity as a human being and as a prosecutor was trampled on, my body and soul harmonious life with my family, my precious job, the time I had spent working tainted and my future was stolen from me," she said. Kitagawa was arrested in June 2024 on a charge of quasi-forcible sexual intercourse and indicted on the same charge in July. At the first hearing of his trial in October, Kitagawa admitted to the indictment, saying he had "no intention of fighting the case," and apologized for "causing serious and severe harm to the victim." However, the situation took a dramatic turn in December when his new defense council made it clear that Kitagawa would be denying the charge. He suddenly claimed there was consent and no intention to commit a crime. The trial has not been held since he changed his plea to not guilty. Hikari's trauma continues to this day. After returning to work briefly in September 2024, a female deputy prosecutor in the same department, on the same floor, began circulating rumors about the incident and her involvement with Kitagawa. Hikari refers to this as a "secondary rape." According to Hikari, the deputy prosecutor leaked her personal information and details of the sexual assault, and said her victim's report and PTSD claims were fraudulent. Hikari was again forced to take sick leave. Hikari filed claims of defamation and harassment among other charges against the deputy prosecutor, but the woman was not charged and only received a warning. Hikari and her lawyer are preparing to file a review with the Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution, claiming the decision not to prosecute the deputy prosecutor is unjust. She is also calling for the establishment of an independent committee to review the responses to her case. "Harassment is rampant in the Public Prosecutors Office," she said. "I believe that both the Kitagawa case and the further accusations by the deputy public prosecutor are the result of this kind of prosecutorial terrain." In an email to Hikari's lawyer, a high-ranking official of the Osaka High Public Prosecutors Office said the office stands by its decision not to pursue a case against the deputy prosecutor based on the law and evidence. The official also argues further that publicly speaking about the incident "undermines the credibility of the office." "This is not an attempt to keep her quiet or a threat, but an obvious request, so we ask that she refrain from saying she has been told to shut up or threatened," the official said. Related coverage: Ex-chief Osaka public prosecutor pleads guilty to rape of colleague Ex-chief public prosecutor arrested for raping colleague in Osaka
Japan Today
29-06-2025
- Japan Today
Osaka prosecutor who accused boss of rape faces backlash
By Aya Tamura In Japan, prosecutors are powerful public officials who are meant to protect the public from rapists and other criminals. But what if the chief prosecutor is an accused rapist himself? That's the explosive charge leveled by Hikari, a female prosecutor with the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office who says she was raped by her boss in 2018. Her pain did not end after the alleged attack. She says it got worse due to a campaign by former chief prosecutor Kentaro Kitagawa and others to silence her, and a colleague who slandered her by spreading rumors claiming she had romantic feelings for Kitagawa. Hikari's quest for justice is the latest MeToo case in Japan involving women who refused to be silenced after being assaulted by establishment figures. They include filmmaker Shiori Ito and former Ground Self-Defense Force member Rina Gonoi. Kitagawa, 65, has been indicted and initially admitted the rape charge, but later recanted, saying the sexual encounter was consensual. On May 21, Hikari -- not her real name -- held a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo in which she disclosed a handwritten letter she had received from Kitagawa, asking her to keep quiet about what happened. According to the indictment, in September 2018, Hikari drank at a social gathering for work and became intoxicated before trying to catch a taxi. Kitagawa half-forced his way into the vehicle and took Hikari to his official residence where he raped her. A groggy Hikari regained consciousness and pleaded for Kitagawa to stop, but he continued the sexual assault, telling her, "You are my woman now." In an interview with Kyodo News in early May, Hikari said she believes she was "bullied by the prosecutors' organization" into initially not speaking publicly about the incident. She wishes to remain anonymous as she intends to continue her work. Hikari developed post-traumatic stress disorder and was unable to continue work as a prosecutor, a job she loved. In Kitagawa's six-page letter written to Hikari, dated Oct. 28, 2019, he apologizes for the "irreparable damage" his actions caused and for the fact that his apology following the incident was insufficient. But after begging Hikari's forgiveness several times, Kitagawa asks her to keep the rape secret. "If this incident becomes public, I will not be able to live on, and I have decided that I will have no choice but to commit suicide," the letter reads. The scandal would harm Kitagawa and the Public Prosecutors Office, leading to resignations by other high-ranking officials, it adds. At the press conference, Hikari recalled that she was too scared to speak out about what happened. She finally decided she could not live without holding Kitagawa responsible and filed a formal report in February 2024 demanding strict punishment. She said she returned 10 million yen ($70,000) in compensation that Kitagawa had paid her and her husband. "My dignity as a human being and as a prosecutor was trampled on, my body and soul harmonious life with my family, my precious job, the time I had spent working tainted and my future was stolen from me," she said. Kitagawa was arrested in June 2024 on a charge of quasi-forcible sexual intercourse and indicted on the same charge in July. At the first hearing of his trial in October, Kitagawa admitted to the indictment, saying he had "no intention of fighting the case," and apologized for "causing serious and severe harm to the victim." However, the situation took a dramatic turn in December when his new defense council made it clear that Kitagawa would be denying the charge. He suddenly claimed there was consent and no intention to commit a crime. The trial has not been held since he changed his plea to not guilty. Hikari's trauma continues to this day. After returning to work briefly in September 2024, a female deputy prosecutor in the same department, on the same floor, began circulating rumors about the incident and her involvement with Kitagawa. Hikari refers to this as a "secondary rape." According to Hikari, the deputy prosecutor leaked her personal information and details of the sexual assault, and said her victim's report and PTSD claims were fraudulent. Hikari was again forced to take sick leave. Hikari filed claims of defamation and harassment among other charges against the deputy prosecutor, but the woman was not charged and only received a warning. Hikari and her lawyer are preparing to file a review with the Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution, claiming the decision not to prosecute the deputy prosecutor is unjust. She is also calling for the establishment of an independent committee to review the responses to her case. "Harassment is rampant in the Public Prosecutors Office," she said. "I believe that both the Kitagawa case and the further accusations by the deputy public prosecutor are the result of this kind of prosecutorial terrain." In an email to Hikari's lawyer, a high-ranking official of the Osaka High Public Prosecutors Office said the office stands by its decision not to pursue a case against the deputy prosecutor based on the law and evidence. The official also argues further that publicly speaking about the incident "undermines the credibility of the office." "This is not an attempt to keep her quiet or a threat, but an obvious request, so we ask that she refrain from saying she has been told to shut up or threatened," the official said. © KYODO
Khaleej Times
27-01-2025
- Khaleej Times
Supporters file mass petition to investigate alleged rape of Japan prosecutor by her boss
Supporters of a Japanese prosecutor allegedly raped by her boss submitted a petition with 58,000 signatures to the government on Monday calling for a thorough investigation, organisers said. Kentaro Kitagawa, who is in his 60s, is accused of assaulting the woman at his official residence in 2018 when he headed the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office. The woman says she was drunk and unable to resist, and Kitagawa was arrested and charged after she came forward with her accusations last year. At the first hearing in October Kitagawa apologised for causing "serious damage" to the woman and said he would not contest the charges. But in December he changed course, with his lawyer telling reporters that his client was unaware that she was unable to resist and believed there was consent. The following day the woman held a news conference — with her face hidden and not revealing her name — and broke down in tears. "We were just a boss and a subordinate, and I was too drunk to resist at the time," local media quoted her as saying. Her supporters submitted the petition to the justice ministry on Monday, calling for Kitagawa to be "thoroughly investigated" to give "the female prosecutor dignity, justice and honour". "We submitted the petition but we didn't receive an immediate comment from the justice ministry official who received it," said Yukiko Yamazaki, one of supporters. A ministry official confirmed they had received the petition.
