Chapter 287: The Case of the Wrongful Conviction That Attracted Nationwide Attention

PS: I have to watch my brother's competition today, so there will only be one update. 4,400 characters, guaranteed quality and quantity. Go brother!

"This is a live report from the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, reporting for you is reporter Takei."

"Families of the Kanagawa male missing persons case protest police handling, 'demanding the truth be revealed'."

"The remains of a man who went missing five years ago in Kanagawa Prefecture were discovered in a reservoir, and the controversy surrounding the police's response continues to escalate. The victim's family claims, 'If the police had investigated seriously back then, he might still be alive,' and have launched a protest in front of the Prefectural Police Headquarters!"

"It is reported that five years ago, 32-year-old company employee Nikaido Kei, a resident of Yokosuka City, Kanagawa, went missing after leaving his home. His family submitted a missing person report to the Kanagawa Prefectural Police that same day, but the police denied any suspicion of foul play on the grounds that 'the possibility of voluntary adult disappearance is high.' Since then, the family has requested a reinvestigation nine times, all of which were rejected due to 'lack of evidence to open a case'."

"About three months after the incident, reservoir management staff in the prefecture discovered the remains while adjusting water levels. A judicial autopsy confirmed the DNA matched Nikaido Kei, but the police closed the case as 'drowning suicide,' stating they would not open a criminal case. Despite the family's constant appeals over these five years, the Kanagawa Prefectural Police firmly refused to reopen the investigation."

On the television screen, Nikaido Kei's wife, Misaki (36), faced the reporters with a trembling voice: "My husband told us the day he went missing that he was going to do something important, and if he didn't come back, we should remember to call the police. He also said he would absolutely not miss the weekend gathering with his family. There was absolutely no motive for suicide!"

Misaki held up a "Give me back my father" placard hand-drawn by their eldest son, Takumi (10), and accused the police: "If they had investigated seriously back then, perhaps they could have found out where my husband went sooner!"

The Nikaido family is quite large; they surrounded the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters together, throwing radishes, pickles, and eggs at the main gate of the Prefectural Headquarters. The Kanagawa police were furious but dared not speak out.

"5 years later, in a recent investigation, Assistant Police Inspector Sato Kenta, who was in charge of handling this case at the time, was suspended for investigation because financial dealings were discovered in the Kudo-kai account books eliminated during last month's Yokohama Case. Also due to the influence of the Yokohama Case, the Kanagawa Prefectural Headquarters underwent a major reshuffle, which is why the Nikaido family launched a siege on the Kanagawa Headquarters, demanding that the police investigate the case again."

"Acting Headquarters Chief Kobayashi Shoji of the Kanagawa Prefectural Headquarters stated: 'The judgment at the time was a proper handling based on evidence. I was not serving in Kanagawa before and am not clear about the series of events. Considering the complexity of the case, we will re-examine the facts to show consideration for the family's feelings.'"

The NHK host spoke to the camera. Behind him, about 200 protesters gathered in front of the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters. Nikaido family members held placards reading "Police are murderers" and "Concealing evidence," engaging in a fierce standoff with riot police maintaining order.

Ms. Nikaido Misaki held her husband's portrait high in the center of the crowd, while a megaphone played the last voice message Nikaido Kei left on his phone on the day he went missing: "What did Takumi eat for dinner? How was his appetite?" Some agitated protesters attempted to push against the barriers. The police issued warnings three times for "obstruction of official duties," and at least five reporters at the scene had their equipment damaged in the pushing and shoving.

"Very well, thank you to Sato for the report from the front line. Now let us connect with Professor Yamada of the Waseda University Faculty of Law to hear what he has to say." The NHK anchor room connected from the back.

"There may have been significant negligence in the police's initial response." The response from the Waseda University Faculty of Law professor was rather vague: "Even for an adult disappearance, if there are suspicious points, it should be handled as a special missing person case. A third-party committee investigation may be needed."

"The Nikaido family plans to demand a meeting with the Prefectural Police Headquarters Chief tomorrow and submit a petition for a compulsory investigation to the Public Prosecutors Office. The online topic '#DoNotForgetNikaidoKei' received over ten thousand signatures within three hours and continues to occupy the social media trending list."

"The public authority institution that protects social security is facing a crisis of trust. How will this incident end? Our station will continue to follow the progress!"

"This is the Japan Broadcasting Corporation reporting for you~"

The NHK report temporarily came to an end.

"Yare yare." Investigation Division 1 Chief Sugishita Ukyo said with a smile: "It seems that because the Kanagawa Headquarters got rid of the Headquarters Chief and several Department Managers in one go, some things can finally no longer be covered up."

"What is going on with the local branches?" Police Inspector Okada sighed: "No matter how many people are in the Nikaido family, it's impossible for there to be over two hundred of them, right?"

"Those are all related parties who have suffered unfair treatment due to various cases!" Miss Minami leaned back in her chair, thoughtful: "According to the spirit of United States law, the fruit of the poisonous tree is naturally a poisonous apple. Therefore, when the police involved are investigated for improper financial dealings, the cases they handled previously naturally become questionable."

"Sigh, that is exactly it. In the legendary 'Trial of the Century' of the O. J. Simpson murder case in the United States, the evidence was once very unfavorable to the defense, but the defense team seized on the fact that the investigating officer was an extreme racist who had repeatedly discriminated against Black people in public and had previously contaminated blood evidence at the scene—these two most important procedural issues—and ultimately succeeded in turning the case around." Sugishita Ukyo said gently: "Now the family dares to come out and make a scene; firstly, they have seized on this procedural issue, and secondly, it is also because the entire upper echelon of the Kanagawa Headquarters was cleaned out during the Yokohama Case. The new Acting Headquarters Chief was parachuted in from the Metropolitan Police Department. Perhaps it is precisely because of this that Headquarters Chief Kobayashi wants to use this as a pretext to reorganize the Prefectural Headquarters?"

"What kind of police can refuse to open a case after nine reports? What kind of police can turn every corpse into a suicide? This is the Japanese police!" Eirina has the strongest sense of justice and said indignantly: "When I was at various stations, I also encountered this situation. They even criticized me, saying 'what do women know?' It wasn't until I met Uesugi that things got a bit better."

"Uesugi is just an exception!" Miss Minami said casually: "Actually, I remember you, Uesugi, also had a conflict with Otsuka Station over a suicide determination back then, right?"

"Normal. To Tanaka and the others, it's better to avoid trouble." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded. He looked at the report: "There is too much content. I need some time. Division Chief, you go ahead and busy yourself with other things. Once I have a judgment, I will inform you."

"Then I will trouble you." Sugishita Ukyo bowed very politely and left.

"I actually feel that this Division Chief doesn't have any airs and is very approachable~" Eirina couldn't help but have her favorability for Sugishita Ukyo greatly increased.

As a result, once this tall beauty said this, everyone in the unit shook their heads.

Being approachable and very polite just means calmly handing over a huge pot of trouble; being approachable and very polite just means calmly pushing the matter of intervening in the local branch onto the Special Mission Unit. And because he is still the Investigation Division 1 Chief, one has to agree to it.

If it weren't for Uesugi protecting you, you idiot big-breasted monster would really be sold by others and still be counting the money for them!

Miss Minami thought with black lines all over her head.

However, Eirina is actually not that stupid. As someone who practices martial arts, she has a sense of righteousness. Although she is not smart, she can very keenly sense whether a person is harboring good intentions or malice. It just so happens that Sugishita Ukyo truly hopes for the injustice to be redressed and truly hopes that the police can give the Nikaido family an explanation. This is what confused Eirina.

In a few minutes, Ishihara Mikoto returned. She listened to Uesugi Muneyuki and the others recount the case and couldn't help but smile and shake her head: "Never have confidence in local branches and local police stations... You should know about the Mitaka female idol love-killing case, right?"

Everyone nodded.

A few years ago, there was a very famous female idol love-killing case in Mitaka, in the Tama area of Tokyo.

The reason was that a country girl came to Tokyo to participate in an Idol Audition. Although she didn't get into the Group like Yamaguchi Maho, she was selected for a semi-mainstream idol group with a fixed theater. But as everyone knows, idols have a Love Ban clause, but this girl had a boyfriend back in the countryside!

I don't know how it happened, but this boyfriend came to Tokyo to find the girl and wanted to continue being boyfriend and girlfriend with her. The girl naturally refused sternly and stated that she had been selected as an idol and wanted to break up with him.

The boyfriend suffered a major blow, and coupled with his inferiority complex from coming to Tokyo from the countryside and his poor economic conditions, he began to become mentally unstable due to multiple reasons. He repeatedly appeared near the girl's apartment to monitor her, tried to break into her home, and kept making harassing phone calls to her house.

The girl was harassed to the point of helplessness. The two sides clashed in Mitaka, and facing the boyfriend who refused to let go and repeatedly declared he would kill her, the girl reported it to the police.

As a result, this is how the Japanese police handled it:

Mitaka Police Station said this matter is not under my jurisdiction. The problem between you and your boyfriend is a private emotional matter, and it is inconvenient for the police to intervene. Your household registrations are both in Saitama Prefecture, go report it to the Saitama Prefectural Police.

Saitama Prefectural Police said this matter is not under my jurisdiction. You and your boyfriend both live in Tokyo and not in Saitama. You usually work and live in Mitaka, go report it to the Mitaka Police Station.

Mitaka Police Station said this matter is not under my jurisdiction. You and your boyfriend clearly clashed in Mitaka, go report it to the Mitaka Police Station.

Just like that, after passing the buck to each other, no police station wanted to accept such a case of a lovesick man and woman. After reporting to the police many times to no avail, the girl considered moving.

But the confidentiality was not handled well. Seeing his girlfriend preparing to move, the boyfriend completely lost his mind, secretly snuck into the girl's home, hid in the closet, and killed her when she returned home unprepared. He turned himself in afterward.

The whole society was in an uproar. This behavior of the Japanese police shirking responsibility and passing the buck to each other caused condemnation from the whole society. But the person was already dead, and the perpetrator had already turned himself in. There was nothing that could be done afterward. Moreover, because the boyfriend was a minor, his information had not been released. Although die-hard idol fans later worked hard to "dox" and obtain a piece of information, the person was already in prison. What could you do?

"Alright, that's enough of the digression." Uesugi Muneyuki signaled for Sister Mikoto to come over so we could deliberate. As soon as they heard Uesugi Muneyuki say this, Minami, Okada, and Eirina immediately gathered around.

Listening to Uesugi Muneyuki analyze the case and evaluate evidence is simply a kind of enjoyment!

"I believe this is absolutely not a case of drowning." Uesugi Muneyuki said in a deep voice. He pointed to the existing materials and highlighted several important points from the corpse photos and the first appraisal report: "First of all, there is a situation that is seriously inconsistent with drowning."

"Yes, Kanagawa University actually issued such an appraisal report, and did the Kanagawa police really look at it carefully?" The Forensic Beauty agreed deeply: "Something that is fake at a glance, something that can be seen immediately upon dissection—Uesugi, promoting the forensic system in Japan really has a long way to go."

"Wait a minute!" Eirina on the side heard it and was confused. The tall beauty was the most impatient to begin with, especially since the Forensic Beauty came and often had "encrypted conversations" with Uesugi Muneyuki, which made Eirina very unhappy. Seeing that the two were about to enter the domain mode again, she immediately called a stop: "What exactly is going on? Why can you determine at a glance that it is not drowning?"

"Alright, I will explain it clearly." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded and said: "First, we need to know what drowning is."

Minami, Okada, and Eirina immediately held their breath and listened carefully.

"So-called drowning refers to death caused by liquid entering the respiratory tract and inducing asphyxiation."

"After a person chokes on water in the water, the water will first enter the digestive organs, but soon it will enter the lungs in large quantities. The lungs originally had air, and after the water enters, the air in the lungs will be squeezed out, leading to an inability to breathe and thus asphyxiation."

Uesugi Muneyuki's finger pointed to the lungs in the appraisal report: "Usually, lungs with air will make the corpse float. The lungs of a drowning victim will make the corpse sink because they are filled with liquid. Therefore, many corpses thrown into the water will eventually float."

"So that's it. This is probably why they pour cement before throwing them into Tokyo Bay, right?" Police Inspector Okada already understood.

"So do you see the problem?" Ishihara Mikoto nodded with a smile. She didn't keep them in suspense but said directly: "The problem lies in the weight of the lungs."

"Normally, the weight of an adult male's lungs should be 500 grams for the left lung and 600 grams for the right lung. But because of the drowning state where water enters the lungs in large quantities causing pulmonary edema in a drowned corpse, the weight of drowning lungs is not lower than 800 grams. The highest I have seen is over 1200 grams."

"The corpse in this case is severely decomposed; blood and moisture in the lungs might leak into the chest cavity, reducing the weight of the lungs. However, after draining a small amount of 100-200 grams of fluid from the lungs, the left lung is only a little over 400 grams, and the right lung is less than 400 grams. This is simply not a corpse that drowned from inhaling a large amount of liquid."

"Therefore, the judgment of the Kanagawa police was wrong from beginning to end; this is simply not a drowning!"

"Naturally, this is not a suicide either!"

Kanagawa, just how many more surprises do you have that you haven't given to our Special Investigation Division?

The entire Special Investigation Division thought, feeling a complex mix of emotions.

"I see, as expected of you, Uesugi and Shiyuan, you saw it at a glance!" Miss Minami became spirited: "However, you don't need to be in a hurry."

"Regarding this matter, I think we probably don't need to intervene proactively."

Sure enough, that afternoon, after the incident fermented, "#KanagawaPoliceLetThemDie" immediately topped the daily social media trending list.

A post where NHK interviewed an anonymous prefectural police officer who revealed that "the internal team knew early on that the case handling procedures were problematic" received 120,000 retweets.

An emotionally agitated convenience store clerk in Yokosuka City stated during an interview: "I also have a daughter; if she encountered such a thing and couldn't get help from the police, I'm afraid I would take even more extreme actions!"

"It's hard to imagine that this is the police; where have our national taxes gone?" a working woman said angrily to the camera: "It's happened time and time again, the Tama case last time was the same; when will the police truly value the safety of the citizens?"

"Refusing to accept the report after nine consecutive calls is simply too much!" another taxi driver also said: "Fortunately, the public security of Tokyo is the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police Department!"

Subsequently, on the Yahoo Japan website, Japanese citizens began to launch a petition, demanding that the Japan police reinvestigate this case and restore justice to this case!

And in the survey poll for the option "Who do you want to be responsible for restarting the investigation of this case?", the support rate for Uesugi Muneyuki and the Special Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Department Investigation Division 1 reached as high as 87%!

It can only be him! The Japanese citizens, especially the citizens of the Kanto Region, made an unexpectedly consistent choice.

His performance in God's Hand SP, his explanations at press conferences after one major case after another, and his famous tough attitude.

Everyone believes that only Uesugi Muneyuki can overturn the case, and only if he personally takes charge can he force the Kanagawa police to restart the investigation and confront the darkness of the Japan police world!

(End of this chapter)