Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 357, Ministry of Justice's Emergency Review

The corruption issue on the set of Taiga dramas hit several sore spots for the Japanese.

The stain of tax scandals, the tarnishing of cultural symbols, the exposure of workplace bullying, concerns about tourist destinations, and, at the very core, the hatred of the working class.

The Tochigi Prefectural Police Headquarters first publicly addressed the conflict between the two sides over corruption issues. The report highlighted the severe exploitation of actors, rushed production schedules, and the forced rotation of extras, as well as the embezzlement, withholding of allowances, and receiving salaries without working. The safety hazards caused by the "rushed production" were also revealed in detail (such as reduced safety inspections, fatigued work, and forced filming in harsh environments), which aroused public concern and anger about the living conditions of grassroots workers in the entire film and television industry.

The details of the case have also sparked discussions about the deep-rooted power oppression, difficulties in overthrowing superiors, and pressure transmission mechanisms in the Japanese workplace.

"Speaking of which, is NHK really focusing on this beautiful news anchor lately?" In the Special Missions Division, Kai Toru, who had just finished a whole New Year's holiday, leaned back in his soft chair and casually remarked, "I remember she only joined the company two years ago, right? Why do we keep seeing her on Fuji TV lately? Is there some kind of shady deal going on?"

"I don't know. Uesugi-san is familiar with Fuji TV, so he might know something," said Inspector Okada, head of the Special Missions Division, casually while holding an iced Americano.

"...It probably started around the time the Odaiba building was sealed off and people showed their faces." Uesugi Muneyuki's expression remained unchanged, but he was feeling somewhat uneasy inside.

Remi Tsutsumi had only been with the company for three years when she became one of Fuji TV's leading ladies. The reason for this was actually him. Although Mai-senpai hosted the event to close the Odaiba building, Remi Tsutsumi also made an appearance at the event. Her natural and cheerful appearance and beautiful profile (her front view has some flaws, but her profile is unbeatable) attracted a lot of attention.

And then... she caught the eye of Masahiro Nakai, and President Kameyama arranged for her to entertain Masahiro Nakai at the dressing room. As a result, Masahiro Nakai was so frightened by the sudden appearance of Mariko Hironaka that he became impotent and had to see a physiologist and psychologist for several months before gradually recovering. Remi Tsutsumi took the opportunity to escape a disaster.

The difference was that when President Kameyama asked her if she would be willing to entertain Uesugi Muneyuki, she immediately agreed without hesitation.

Nonsense, compared to that greasy, hoarse middle-aged man Nakai, Tsutsumi Reimi would definitely prefer to be with the handsome Chinese Uesugi.

After the two had a private relationship once or twice, Uesugi Muneyuki would naturally mention Tsutsumi Reimi in some interviews, and Tsutsumi Reimi also gained the attention of President Kameyama. For example, when it came to the scheduled interview for this incident, President Kameyama's secretary asked Uesugi Muneyuki about it.

"Uesugi-san, is Tsutsumi-san the host for this interview?"

"Roar!"

Will Uesugi-san support her career?

"of course!"

Thus, Remi Tsutsumi bypassed a host of veteran female news anchors and began hosting major news stories related to Muneyuki Uesugi.

"Damn it, doesn't this make me look like a pervert?" Uesugi Muneyuki thought to himself as he looked at the glamorous Fuji TV news anchors on the television station.

"Uesugi-san, you should share some of the credit with us!" At this moment, Uesugi Muneyuki heard Kai Toru complain, "Don't always just have Inspector Ikeda by your side. Look, all the headlines today are about the NHK Taiga drama case. I should have been featured too! Don't you think so, Date? Igarashi?"

"Uh, I'll pass." Date Nagamune watched TV and shook his head vigorously. He didn't like to show off, unless it was in front of his favorite Akashizaka Fudo C-Pierre or the second young lady Moriya Akane.

I feel that Tsutsumi Reimi is not as good-looking as the second young lady...

“Uesugi-san must have his reasons for doing this!” Igarashi Hayato said without hesitation.

"...This Special Mission Unit is unbearable. There's a Lady Odai-sho, a concubine, a member of the Mi-kemono family, a Hatamoto no Gosei-sou, a fudai nori, and a geisho-bujō. Only I, the weak, pitiful, and helpless son of an outsider, am here. I'm only fit to kneel outside the 30-tatami-maru-do and call out 'Shogun-sama' through the bamboo curtain~" Kai Kyou said sarcastically.

Kai Kyou's sarcastic remarks brought a knowing smile to the faces of everyone in the Special Missions Division except for Igarashi Hayato and Ikeda Erena. They thought to themselves that although this guy's grades weren't good, he was quite knowledgeable about these historical allusions.

"Oh? Is that so?" Uesugi Muneyuki thought for a moment after hearing this and said, "Since you want to come with me, then you can come with me today."

"Hey, are we going to move out? What big case is it this time?" Kai Toru was definitely getting excited: "I'll go~~~"

"No, today is the day Ikeda is going to the Ministry of Justice for an emergency investigation," Uesugi Muneyuki said with a smile. "Your father, that person, the Vice Minister of Justice, Kai Mine Aki-san, will also be there!" "Ada!!! Yameru!" Upon hearing his father's name, Kai Toru shrank back like a mouse seeing a cat. "I won't go! I'd rather die than go! Uesugi-san, I'll never laugh at you again! Please, I don't want to see that person!"

This father and son really do hate each other.

Seeing this, Uesugi Muneyuki exchanged a helpless glance with Watanabe Minami. Minami noticed that Ikeda Erena was very nervous and looked very uneasy, so she gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid, Ikeda, Uesugi and I will go with you."

“Okay…” Rena Ikeda was indeed very nervous, and she only breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that these two people would be by her side.

Since Uesugi and Minami started arranging her work and life, Erina has further given up thinking and completely follows their instructions and arrangements. If neither of them is around, Erina really doesn't know what to do.

————This is the dividing line for when my mind is blank————

An hour later, a closed-door hearing was held at the Ministry of Justice building.

All members of the Emergency Review Committee on the Murder of Reina Ikeda have arrived. The committee is chaired by Minister of Justice Kaito Oyama, and he and four other Ministry of Justice officials and legal experts are responsible for questioning Reina Ikeda.

Vice Minister of Justice Kai Mineaki asked, "Please state the time and place of the incident, as well as your position."

"On [Date], at approximately 8:20 PM, in Kabukicho 1-chome, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. I am the Inspector General of the Violent Offenses Division, Criminal Investigation Department, Otsuka Police Station, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, and I was on patrol duty at the time of the incident."

"Please describe the situation you observed when you arrived at the scene."

"The suspect, armed with a Zwilling kitchen knife about 40 centimeters long, was chasing and slashing passersby. Witnesses have reported five deaths, six people lying on the ground bleeding, and one police officer seriously injured. People at the scene panicked and fled. The suspect took hostages and then attempted to attack Uesugi, who was exchanging hostages."

The members of the Ministry of Justice's review committee nodded, and one bureaucrat asked, "During the pursuit, did you attempt to subdue the suspect using non-lethal methods? For example, using a baton or spray gun?"

Rena Ikeda was a little nervous: "Yes. After the suspect slashed several people and fled, seriously injuring several more on his way out, the Metropolitan Police Department tried various methods, but the suspect ignored them and was in a state of agitation. All the methods were ineffective and instead led to more casualties, failing to stop him from continuing to attack innocent passersby."

Another bureaucrat reviewed NHK's live footage: "The body camera footage shows that there were only 1.2 seconds between your approach and the attack. Why wasn't the standard warning procedure followed?"

"At that time... the perpetrator had already swung his knife at Uesugi, less than 0.1 meters away." This question was answered by Minami Watanabe, who showed Uesugi Muneyuki's suit, which had been ripped to shreds, and a photo taken at the scene showing a wound on his waist: "With a full warning, his knife was enough to stab a person in a vital spot within one second. According to Article 1 of the Police Officer Duties Execution Law, when delaying the use of a weapon would directly result in the death of a third party, part of the warning procedure can be omitted."

"Understood." The Ministry of Justice official continued, nodding. "The forensic report shows that the prisoner died from a severe concussion and cerebral hemorrhage caused by a heavy blow to the head, suggesting a possible intent to kill. Does this violate the principle of 'minimum necessary force'?"

“The situation at the time did not allow me to make any further judgments. When I made my move, the perpetrator had already killed multiple people and was still committing acts of violence. I did it to completely incapacitate him,” Erina Ikeda replied.

“At that time, the tip of the Zwilling kitchen knife had already pierced my skin, and the act of harm was still continuing. Ikeda’s use of force met the ‘immediate termination of continuous threat’ standard of Article 9 of the Standards for the Use of Force,” Uesugi Muneyuki added.

The Ministry of Justice bureaucrats and legal experts nodded in agreement. After a brief private discussion, Minister of Justice Kaito Oyama tapped his gavel: "Ms. Reina Ikeda, Inspector General of the Otsuka Police Station of the Metropolitan Police Department, the committee has confirmed that your actions meet the requirements of Article 7, Paragraph 2 of the Police Officer Duty Execution Law, namely 'prevention of serious harm.' However, the fact that the warning procedure was not fully performed will be recorded as insufficient performance of duty of care. It is recommended that you receive additional training."

"Huh???" Ikeda Erena never expected the Ministry of Justice to make this decision!
The tall, beautiful woman immediately pouted, looking aggrieved.

Why do we make more mistakes the more we do?

Why do you people keep nitpicking over such a small flaw?
She didn't react for a moment, until Minami and Uesugi Muneyuki were both staring at her, then she quickly nodded and recited, "I accept the criticism and will follow the procedures more strictly in the future."

Thus, the Ministry of Justice's emergency investigation into Erena's street murder came to an end.

(End of this chapter)