Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 391, Mikoto's Dilemma
From the moment she started her medical career, Mikoto Ishihara discovered that the medical field didn't seem to welcome her. Whether it was doctors or, more specifically, forensic pathologists, it was an absolutely male-dominated profession, inherently rejecting and distrusting women.

This is understandable, because men naturally have an advantage in physical strength and energy, and they are good at working long hours. The profession of doctor is very demanding and can never meet the needs of society. Men are naturally superior in this regard. They do not have menstruation every month, are better in endurance and strength, and do not have the troubles of marriage, childbirth and raising children, so they can devote themselves to their profession more wholeheartedly.

This is what has always troubled Mikoto the most—no one acknowledges the value of her work, no one acknowledges her abilities. When she stands on the dissection table, in other people's eyes she is first and foremost a woman, not a doctor. This sexism and stereotype has permeated her entire career.

Her ex-husband was also a typical example of someone who outwardly expressed his support for his wife's dream of becoming a doctor, but inwardly thought, "As long as she can be a good wife, that's enough." Mikoto was deeply moved when she agreed to quit her job and become a school doctor, firmly believing that she could fulfill her duties as a school doctor. However, her husband didn't care at all what she did.

This made her feel utterly hopeless about marriage, which is why she suddenly woke up and ran away when Uesugi Muneyuki expressed his desire to marry her. She was very determined to prove her work ability and value, and for this she did not hesitate to wander around for several years, and for this she did not hesitate to rekindle her relationship with Uesugi Muneyuki. Her goal has always been only one - to shine in the job she loves.

I never expected to encounter something like this again today!

However, unbeknownst to him, in the eyes of the prosecutor Kusaka, all of Ishihara Mikoto's value was truly reflected in her connection to and assistance to Uesugi Muneyuki. The prosecutor's contempt and questioning of Mikoto based on gender, age, and position revealed the deep-rooted hierarchical concepts and gender discrimination in Japanese society (especially in traditional elite fields).

However, this discrimination is not without its origins. As a middle-aged man who witnessed the changes during Japan's golden age and experienced the environment of that time, it is hard for you not to have prejudices against women.

As is well known, during the golden age, almost every urban woman in Japan had three wallets: the so-called rickshaw driver, meal ticket, and ATM (of course, you can't find the answer by searching for these three words; the accurate Japanese terms are 行君, 食君, and 贡君), and finally, a "body".

Here are two additional points: there are two hidden characters besides these, namely "Wire Man (Cable Guy)" and "Keep Guy".

"Cable Man" (電電君) refers to a man skilled in appliance repair. In the 1980s and 90s, electrical appliances were widespread throughout Japan, but the repair system wasn't as developed as it is now. People had to frequently consult the Yellow Pages, make phone calls to schedule appointments, and find suitable repairmen. Therefore, a Japanese man who could repair appliances was highly sought after. The status of a "Cable Man" was consistently higher than that of a "Traveler," "Food Man," or "Gift Man" because he could actually enter women's apartments! And having him come into one's apartment to repair appliances for free and praising one's skill was considered the greatest favor a Japanese woman could receive at the time.

Besides the popular "Electric Wire Man," there's also Keep (a popular mobile phone brand).

Keep refers to men who meet women's minimum standards for choosing a partner but not the recommended configuration. Therefore, when women are temporarily lacking their ideal partner, they will use Keep as a temporary substitute, acting as a temporary boyfriend. Naturally, during this process, they will also have to spend a lot of money until they find their next ideal partner. Keep's fate is basically to spend all its money and be dumped. Occasionally, a few men do manage to win the heart of a beauty, but they will often have to face their wives' resentment at settling for less and their condescending and condescending attitude.

All of this came to an abrupt end after the golden age. It's worth noting that society didn't become poor overnight when the bubble burst in the 90s. Japanese companies only started discussing layoffs in 92. From 94 to 96, most of the talented people in Japanese society began to run out of savings and realized that the good times were truly over. The new generation of women entering the workforce couldn't accept the reality that their predecessors had enjoyed so many benefits and so much adulation, while they themselves couldn't enjoy the same treatment they were entitled to.

After careful consideration, they concluded that this was oppression by a patriarchal society.

Therefore, starting in 96, Japanese women fully integrated with international women's rights organizations.

What happened next is hard to say, and doesn't need to be said, but everyone should understand—the more intense the movement, the more she is avoided; the more she demands equal pay for equal work and seeks to implement all "women's rights"; the more she is removed from her proper positions and relegated to "general affairs"; the more she makes a fuss, the less the workplace wants women, because men don't cause trouble.

So, after the feminist movement in Japan subsided, did women's treatment improve?

The answer is no. While the older generation of Japanese people witnessed the era firsthand, they may still retain some traditional values ​​(Japanese people are particularly conservative and stubborn). The new generation of Japanese men grew up in an environment of extreme gender antagonism. They are born with a gene for vigilance and antagonism. The new generation of men would rather suppress their reproductive instincts than repeat the mistakes of their predecessors.

This is why Japanese girls love to say "desu" (anxiety), which is actually a strong sense of anxiety about the unfriendly social environment and an implicit dissatisfaction with their current situation: This, this isn't right, is it? Where are my three wallets? Where did my cable and Keep go? Damn it, why are Meituan/alarm clocks so mean?!
Of course, the above refers to Japan and has nothing to do with other countries.

Seeing Mikoto's expression, Prosecutor Kusaka didn't sit down. Instead, he crossed his arms, looked Mikoto up and down, and a contemptuous sneer curled at the corner of his mouth: "Assistant Ishihara? Hmph. Such an important professional medical assessment involving judicial determination, Dr. Uesugi would entrust to you a... (he paused deliberately, as if searching for the right derogatory term) 'RA' to hand over to me?"

"Do you know what this report means? It concerns a person's future and could even affect the entire case! Do you have enough clinical experience? Do you understand the deeper meaning of these imaging and pathological data? Is Dr. Uesugi too busy, so busy that he sent a...RA to help him review the documents?"

Mikoto's face paled slightly, her fingers tightening around the edge of the document. She recalled the outside world's comparisons of her as an "assistant," and now the prosecutor's disdain was exactly the same. But she couldn't back down; this was her job, and more importantly, it was the key value she held in staying by Uesugi's side. She took a deep breath, raised her head, and looked directly at Prosecutor Kusaka. Although her voice was a little tense, she tried to keep it clear: "Prosecutor Kusaka, I understand your concerns about the importance of the case, but..." "But all the cases and autopsies I've handled, including applications for secondary examinations, all the related preliminary communication and data preparation, as well as the cooperation during the actual autopsies and the subsequent autopsy reports, were all handled entirely by Mikoto, my only designated forensic assistant. Prosecutor, most of the forensic reports you see were actually written by Mikoto for me."

Just then, Uesugi Muneyuki walked in from outside with a smile. He politely said to the district prosecutor, "I have 100% trust in Mikoto-nee. Without her, the so-called Uesugi forensic investigator would be like cutting off his own arm, and he would only be able to walk with a limp."

Prosecutor Kusaka was taken aback. The words "solely designated assistant," "fully authorized to follow up," and "100% trust in Dr. Uesugi" seemed to have a magical power, striking Prosecutor Kusaka.

The contempt, impatience, and skepticism on his face froze for a moment, then vanished as quickly as the tide receded. In its place was extreme surprise, followed by sudden realization, and finally a complete 180-degree turn to almost fawning respect.

He immediately lowered his arms, leaned forward slightly, and forced an extremely unnatural smile onto his face.

"Ah! My apologies! My apologies! Ishihara-san! So you're Dr. Uesugi's only designated assistant! You're truly... truly young and promising! I was just a bit anxious about the case process, so please forgive me for any inappropriate remarks!"

The prosecutor quickly sat down, his attitude completely different, and said eagerly, "Since Dr. Uesugi is here, there's definitely no problem! Dr. Uesugi's judgment is absolutely trustworthy! Shall we begin?"

Mikoto's expression was complex. She glared at Uesugi Muneyuki, unsure whether to thank him for his appearance or resent him for binding her to her. She desperately wanted to prove her abilities, yet a deep weariness and complex, indescribable emotions welled up within her. She silently tidied the documents, her face devoid of any triumphant joy, only a numbness from being caught up in the power game and a clear-headed acceptance of reality.

She knew that in this university and in this society, without the halo of Uesugi Muneyuki, Ishihara Mikoto might forever remain just a "little girl" who could be easily looked down upon and questioned in the eyes of social elites like the Kusaka Prosecutor.

Later, with the assistance of Uesugi Muneyuki, Ishihara Mikoto reviewed the report and clearly pointed out that there were problems with the forensic report. The wound shape was incorrect, and since the defendant was left-handed, the wound left by stabbing the other party with his left hand should not be that shape. It was obvious that the prosecutor's office had made a mistake and recommended a second examination.

Prosecutor Kusaka was humble and attentive, listening carefully to every explanation Mikoto gave, nodding frequently, and occasionally exclaiming, "I see!" or "No wonder she's Dr. Uesugi's only designated assistant!" He even poured water for Mikoto.

Looking at the man before her, who had been arrogant at first but then obsequious, Mikoto felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, she felt a twisted sense of pleasure—Uesugi's name acted like a talisman, instantly shattering the arrogance of the elite prosecutor. On the other hand, she felt a deeper bitterness and powerlessness—the man's respect wasn't for her professional abilities, but for the label of "Uesugi's designated assistant." In his eyes, her value was still entirely dependent on that man.

Uesugi Muneyuki remained silent throughout, but his presence and the fact that he did not offer any objections were enough.

Damn it, is this all under your control? You evil Uesugi brother?

She mechanically and professionally completed the explanation and returned the signed copy of the report to Prosecutor Hikaru.

"Oh, by the way, Dr. Uesugi, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office has a suggestion regarding your autopsy abilities." Prosecutor Kusaka, having finished tidying up his documents, suddenly said, "Isn't it a waste to only use your abilities in criminal autopsies?"

"Suppose that the University of Tokyo, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office, and the National Police Agency were to unite and establish a special national certification body specifically for you, called the Institute for Unnatural Deaths, what would you think?"

"The Unnatural Death Research Institute?" Uesugi Muneyuki pinched his chin. "UDI, is it?"

“Yes, in fact, there is a high demand throughout Japan for civil second-stage investigations into the cause of death. If you are interested, our local prosecutor’s office can gradually push forward this plan,” Prosecutor Kusaka said. “Of course, we will strive to get the best treatment for you.”

Uesugi Muneyuki's eyes lit up slightly.

The District Attorney's suggestion... oh, Moses Roy~
(End of this chapter)