Chapter 317: Superintendent General Reappointed!

By the time Uesugi Muneyuki emerged from the courthouse, the reporters outside had already erupted.

What? Uesugi Muneyuki is going to resign from his post at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital?

What is he trying to do? One must know that if he does not hold an official position at a hospital, Uesugi Muneyuki cannot be considered part of the Metropolitan Police Department Forensics Division, which means he must re-apply for his medical license; in other words, for a period of time, he will be unable to practice medicine legally, meaning he cannot legally perform autopsies or dissections!

Furthermore, by giving testimony unfavorable to his own alma mater, Uesugi Muneyuki is cutting himself off from the Japanese medical community!

One must know that although Tokyo Medical and Dental University cannot be considered the absolute top-tier elite school, it is still an internationally recognized Class A university in Japan, second only to the Imperial Seven Universities, and especially in medicine, it is one of the top five universities in Japan!

Yes, Tokyo Medical and Dental University is only less famous because it focuses on training medical students, but in terms of prestige, it is higher than first-tier lower-bracket elite schools like Waseda University, Tsukuba University, and Keio University!

This will be an unprecedented major news story!

And when Uesugi Muneyuki faced the reporters' questions, he remained silent for a moment; his expression seemed somewhat sorrowful. Facing the microphones thrust toward him, Uesugi Muneyuki looked them over for a few seconds before choosing to accept an interview from the beautiful Fuji TV anchor, Reimi.

"Yes, this is a difficult decision. You know, Tokyo Medical and Dental University is my alma mater, Professor Zaizen is my mentor, we once pursued advanced studies together in the hospital, and I have known Professor Okochi for a long time; his ability in the field of pathology is incredibly strong. I once thought I would work at my alma mater forever."

"Sometimes making this kind of decision is very difficult. After many days and nights of reflection, I still decided to testify in court. Just as I am a Forensic Pathologist, I simply had to state everything clearly. Whether it is beneficial or harmful, all I have to do is clarify the truth as I know it; it is that simple. As for my colleagues at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, I wish them all the best."

"Regarding my future path? I am not entirely sure. After an incident like this, I might take my talents to Kansai, or perhaps Doctor William Edwards at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States has asked me if I am interested in pursuing a Doctor of Medicine degree. Let us see what happens next."

Facing the cameras, Uesugi Muneyuki spoke eloquently. After finishing, he turned around with a seemingly lonely expression and bowed deeply toward the courthouse.

In truth, he did not need to come today; he only needed to suggest that the lawyer Sekiguchi change his focus, and the chances of winning the case would have increased significantly.

But he came anyway. In court, there were things he truly felt he had to say. As everyone knows, the medical system itself is a highly specialized and extremely closed system. The medical cliques in Japan have added a layer of feudal hierarchy and a system of personal dependency on top of that, making the barriers between factions even more rigid and the master-servant relationships fixed.

To reach the end of the White Tower, to reach the pinnacle of the medical path, one must become a part of the White Tower.

But Uesugi Muneyuki is unwilling to become a part of the White Tower. This is his choice, and it also means he can only walk the path of a Forensic Pathologist from now on; the path of clinical medicine is completely severed from this point forward.

Everyone has a dream of being a miracle worker who saves lives, and this bow from Uesugi Muneyuki can be considered a final farewell to his dream of being a doctor.

Although there was some reluctance and regret, having truly completed this step, Uesugi Muneyuki felt a sense of relief.

Finally escaped from this damn tower!

The reporters on the scene still wanted to ask questions when they heard a shout from the courthouse: "Oh no, oh no! Professor Zaizen has fainted in the courtroom!"

"What?!" All the reporters immediately caught the scent of an even bigger story. Seeing that Uesugi Muneyuki did not intend to continue answering, they immediately turned toward the courthouse.

"Let's go," Uesugi Muneyuki said to Eirina and Mikoto.

Goodbye, my doctor dream!

Now, let's see what kind of reaction there is in Nagatacho.

After Uesugi Muneyuki released a major news story, he pondered the plan he had with his father-in-law.

His father-in-law's term is almost up, but there has been no definitive word from Nagatacho.

……………………

The next day, the explosive news immediately spread throughout all of Japan.

"Special Mission Unit Collapses! Forensic Examiner Uesugi Personally Resigns from Forensic Post! Metropolitan Police Department in Dire Straits!"

"Uesugi Muneyuki May Head to Massachusetts in the United States for Further Studies; Where Will the Future of the Metropolitan Police Department Go?"

"80% Case Clearance Rate No Longer Guaranteed! Investigation Division 1 Function Likely to Suffer Huge Impact!"

"Uesugi Muneyuki is a Treasure Belonging to All Citizens! He Alone is Worth Five Divisions! Cannot Let Him Get Away!"

"Reporting His Mentor, Uesugi Muneyuki's Medical Path Severed? Rumor Has It That Osaka University and Kyoto University in Kansai Are Both Willing to Offer Uesugi Muneyuki Full Scholarships; Public Security in Kanto is in Peril!"

The explosive news not only shocked Japanese society but also threw the upper echelons of the Metropolitan Police Department into chaos. As mentioned before, the Japanese police have gradually become listless since the Heisei era. Although the headquarters does indeed have some elites, when it comes to autopsies and solving cases, the Metropolitan Police Department, having grown accustomed to Uesugi Muneyuki's presence, simply had no contingency plan!

Investigation Division 1 and the Criminal Investigation Department desperately called Minami to ask what was going on, but Miss Minami indicated that Uesugi Muneyuki was still considering his future direction and had not yet made any definite plans.

Everyone immediately asked the outgoing Superintendent General, Watanabe Eiji.

Yes, Watanabe Eiji's term ends in March of next year, and it is already mid-December. Many people are guessing where he will go next?

Cabinet Crisis Management Supervisor? Japan Traffic Association? Crime Victim Support Organization? SECOM? Mitsubishi UFJ? Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group?

Watanabe Eiji remained calm and composed, indicating that when it rains, it rains, and when a daughter marries, she marries—there is nothing to be done about it, and if it comes to it, just let it be.

How can this be?! The others were even more anxious, thinking, if you step down and take Uesugi Muneyuki with you, what are we supposed to do?

What about your daughter? Save us! The Special Mission Unit was only just established; it wouldn't really be disbanded on the spot, would it?

Just as there was chaos outside, in Chiyoda Ward, Nagatacho.

"Bang!" Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat Onoda Kimiaki slammed the newspaper reporting Uesugi's resignation and potential departure onto the table: "This is a threat! This is blackmail! This is... Uesugi-kun suddenly resigning at this time! It must be Eiji's instruction! He is threatening us!"

Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki was quite calm. He twirled his Parker gold pen and said with a smile: "This is also normal, Kimiaki. It's not like you haven't been pouring cold water on Eiji, constantly hinting that he could retire once his term ends. His term ends in March next year... it will be here soon after the New Year holidays."

"Even so, haven't all the positions I've offered him been top-tier lucrative posts?" Onoda Kimiaki paused slightly, considering it a reluctant acceptance of his brother's blame: "These are all positions with an annual salary of over 100 million! And they are not lacking in real power!"

"You also have a problem, Kimiaki. You are an Assistant Commissioner, he is the Superintendent General; your attitude is like you are bestowing charity upon him! I arranged for you to go to the Metropolitan Police Department to balance him out and take over the Public Security Police, not to go and compete with him!" Onoda Kimiaki shook his head and said: "You are too eager to take over the ready-made foundation he left behind, hmm? The Special Mission Unit that can solve any case? The Criminal Investigation Department in Chiba and Kanagawa where you sent a bunch of useless people after the personnel reshuffle? Or the comprehensive informatization of the Metropolitan Police Department that is about to launch?"

"You come from a Public Security background, and unlike Eiji, you have always had a severe lack of control over the Criminal Investigation Department. You finally managed to shove Sugishita Ukyo in as Division Chief... that guy is still offending people everywhere. I even know in the Cabinet that the Investigation Division 1 Chief is a very rude Detective!"

"But Sugishita Ukyo is the most suitable candidate for this position!" "Suitable, but not necessarily obedient!"

The Onoda brothers were silent for a moment. Onoda Kimiaki suddenly said: "I don't think Uesugi Muneyuki really intends to leave. The University of Tokyo has already agreed to give him a direct doctoral program and an official hospital position. He just got engaged to Watanabe Minami, and he is also with Ikeda in the department..."

"Yes, Uesugi may not intend to leave, but we dare not gamble that he truly won't," Onoda Kimiaki said flatly. "Assuming Eiji steps down and Uesugi leaves, do you have the ability to make the Metropolitan Police Department as precise, swift, perfect, and deeply loved by the people as it was before? My Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat?"

"............ So there's no other way, is there?" Onoda Kimiaki already understood his brother's meaning: "Since the end of the Cold War, it has never happened a second time."

"Hmm, and Eiji is capable, obedient, and has the means. His performance as Superintendent General this term, hmph~" Onoda Kimiaki slowly took out a document and signed it: "It's impeccable."

Official Cabinet document.

Superintendent General Reappointed!

The Cabinet Office is full of talkative people and involves countless departments; news here cannot be sealed. The only difference is that so-called absolute secrets can be delayed by at most one day, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Onoda Kimiaki never intended to keep it a secret anyway.

Since it is to be a reward, give it decisively; do not drag it out until Watanabe Eiji comes to ask for it himself, as that would not be dignified.

Thus, the next day, the most explosive news came from the Japanese police world.

Superintendent General Reappointed!

This means that Watanabe Eiji, who has completed a full two-year term as Superintendent General, will have his term extended by another period on top of his current one. The time he will sit in this key position will reach four or four and a half years! (Superintendent Generals usually serve terms of two or two and a half years, but most are transferred before finishing or resign voluntarily to take the fall for major cases).

Upon hearing this news, the entire Japanese police world, especially the high-ranking officials of the National Police Agency and the Metropolitan Police Department, all began to curse.

"Are you never going to finish, damn it? Are you glued to that seat and can't get off? How many people are watching the Superintendent General's chair, waiting to get up there and have a go! And yet you still want to serve for two more years?"

You have to know, the position of Superintendent General is extremely special and sensitive; it directly controls powerful departments, the machinery of violence, and intelligence and special operations. After the end of the Cold War, to avoid the tail becoming too big to wag due to an overly long term, there has never been a case of a Superintendent General serving a second term. Any Detective can only serve one term, and some Superintendent Generals have even served just over a year; this has become an unwritten rule.

Yet, Watanabe Eiji just happened to break this rule!

For a time, the citizens of Japan were discussing it fervently; the news among the public was basically all praise and support, because Watanabe Eiji had indeed done a very good job in this term—there was nothing to say against it—but the upper echelons of the police world were almost entirely cursing him.

After these upper-echelon police officials finished cursing and had their fill, they hurriedly prepared gifts and put on smiles to visit the Watanabe Residence in Setagaya Gotokuji, taking turns to pay their respects to the new power.

"For the next two years, please continue to look after us, Director General Watanabe!"

You have to know that although it was a long time ago, those predecessors who served more than one term as Superintendent General all had incredibly bright futures ahead of them!

Sure enough, as soon as the news from the Cabinet spread, Uesugi Muneyuki stopped talking about studying abroad in the United States and said he would seriously consider the invitation from the Kanto region: "You know, Kanto is my home, I love it here, and I don't want to leave."

The Special Mission Unit even welcomed good news.

The Chief of the Special Mission Unit, Watanabe Minami, was officially promoted to Superintendent and became a Management Officer of the Special Mission Unit.

In the grand auditorium of the Metropolitan Police Department, wearing her female Superintendent-grade ceremonial uniform, Watanabe Minami, who had achieved success in both love and career, accepted the appointment document from her father's hands.

When she returned to the Special Mission Unit, Uesugi Muneyuki had specifically arranged a surprise for the young lady Minami.

"Attention! Salute the Management Officer!" the newly appointed Chief of the Special Mission Unit, Okada, shouted with a half-smile.

"Loyal! ty!"

(End of this chapter)