Chapter 42: Uesugi Muneyuki, Facing the District Public Prosecutors Office

The Metropolitan Police Department headquarters is called the Sakuradamon Building and is located in the center of Chiyoda Ward; across the street from the Sakuradamon Building, the Peerage Kasumigaseki Hall stands facing it from a distance.

Uesugi Muneyuki is very familiar with the Peerage Kasumigaseki Hall because he has attended many Peerage Assemblies as a member of the peerage; at the same time, Kasumigaseki Hall is precisely where the Yonezawa Uesugi Clan's Edo residence once stood. Today, the former residence has been reclaimed for public use, and the Uesugi Clan has only managed to retain a Garden Western-style House in Bunkyo Ward.

All the glory of yesterday has become a distant memory; today, if one wishes to create brilliance once more, one can only rely on oneself.

Next to the Sakuradamon Building is the National Police Agency headquarters, also a modernized, massive office building. However, unlike the Metropolitan Police Department, the National Police Agency is not open to the public, and compared to the Metropolitan Police Department's massive scale of up to 80,000 people including civilian staff, the National Police Agency's registered personnel has always remained under 1,000.

So, what is the difference between the Metropolitan Police Department and the National Police Agency?

It is very simple: the Metropolitan Police Department is a regional enforcement agency subordinate to the Tokyo area, responsible for the public security of the entire Tokyo Metropolis; the National Police Agency is a national-level administrative department subordinate to the Cabinet, responsible for indirectly managing and coordinating all police departments across Japan's prefectures. The former comes into contact with specific cases, investigations, and patrols, so it requires a large number of personnel, while the latter is purely a bureaucratic management organization.

Facing the Metropolitan Police Department and the National Police Agency is the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office. This department is a regional prosecution unit responsible for determining whether suspects arrested by the police should be indicted.

The Public Prosecutors Office possesses "Absolute Prosecution Power" and firmly controls the power of public prosecution, which naturally puts it at odds with the Metropolitan Police Department, as their duties often overlap. However, the Public Prosecutors Office's Public Security Department is managed by the Public Security Department subordinate to the National Police Agency, making it difficult for the District Public Prosecutors Office to resist the will of the National Police Agency in some matters. Yet, the Public Prosecutors Office also possesses the power to supervise bureaucrats, which in turn can influence the National Public Safety Commission, the superior organization of the National Police Agency...

Are you feeling dizzy after going in circles this far?

That's right, this is a typical bureaucratic system design: checks and balances, decentralized power, where no one can fully control the situation. The superiors intentionally create a situation of long-term opposition so that everything remains under control.

In reality, the specifics are even more complex.

The predecessor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, the Japan Metropolitan Police Department, was full of sins before the war and its crimes were too numerous to record. For reasons that cannot be stated clearly, I will not say much more here, but it was the kind of organization that sat at the same table as the Gestapo, the Cheka, and the Military Statistics Bureau.

After the war, Five-Star MacArthur reorganized the Metropolitan Police Department to a great extent, which was equivalent to completely destroying and rebuilding the entire organization. Five-Star MacArthur split the Metropolitan Police Department according to the American model, not only stripping the Metropolitan Police Department of its national jurisdiction and distributing it to local branches, but also stripping it of its exclusive right to the name; every local branch could call itself a Metropolitan Police Department, such as the Osaka Metropolitan Police Department, the Kyoto Metropolitan Police Department, etc.

This relatively crude transformation did not completely clean things up and only changed the structure of the Japanese police system to a certain extent. Later, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department managed to take back the exclusive naming rights of the Metropolitan Police Department from the local branches. However, due to MacArthur's forceful transformation, the decentralization of power from the center to the local level became a fact. The Japanese did not dare to openly resist MacArthur, so they changed tactics to greatly strengthen the functional power of the Tokyo headquarters, making this local branch of Tokyo effectively the highest-level enforcement department in the police system, while the national-level National Police Agency was relegated to a bureaucratic department for coordinating and leading police affairs nationwide.

By the time Uesugi Muneyuki stepped into the lobby of the Metropolitan Police Department under the lead of Sudo, Police Inspector Megure of Investigation Division 1 was already there.

Unlike what he had imagined, the first impression the lobby of the Metropolitan Police Department gave Uesugi Muneyuki was—plain.

The decoration was truly plain, lacking any of the dominance one would expect from the highest enforcement department. If no one had told him, Uesugi Muneyuki would have thought this was some large comprehensive service center.

People were everywhere, a rolling sea of heads; a dense crowd squeezed from the lobby entrance to the glass automatic doors. Behind the horizontal windows, a row of policewomen sat processing business for the crowd outside. The suit-clad brigade, both men and women, was distributed throughout the lobby, a mixed bag of all sorts.

"Rizo, little brother Uesugi, and... Miss Ikeda." As soon as Police Inspector Megure saw Ikeda Erena following behind Uesugi Muneyuki, he secretly groaned.

Why did this woman have to come too?

Life in Tokyo is good; I don't want to be transferred to the countryside!

"The people from the District Public Prosecutors Office are already waiting." Police Inspector Megure grabbed Uesugi Muneyuki: "I'll take you there, be careful."

"Why did the District Public Prosecutors Office call little brother Uesugi to come over?" Sudo sensed that Police Inspector Megure's mood was a bit off.

"It's bad, this time Prosecutor Kamibayashi and that female prosecutor Lin Yanzhen have come." Police Inspector Megure said in a low voice amidst the noisy environment: "They want to seek a breakthrough from Uesugi-kun."

"What, it's actually those two?" Sudo clutched his head in a headache: "Miscalculated."

"That's why the Police Affairs Department has also been mobilized this time. Little brother Uesugi, later when facing the questioning from the District Public Prosecutors Office, you only need to answer questions related to the autopsy; the other departments will be handled by the elites of our Police Affairs Department." Police Inspector Megure carefully instructed: "For all other questions, just answer that you don't know."

"Wait, Yanzhen, why such a strange name?" Uesugi Muneyuki seemed completely unconcerned about these issues; instead, he was interested in the female prosecutor's name.

"She is of Korean descent."

"Someone of Korean descent can actually enter the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office?"

"That's why you need to be careful."

Taking the elevator upstairs, the scenery before them changed abruptly. The interior decoration of the Metropolitan Police Department instantly shifted from plain to elegant. The three-color natural wood style—white, brown, and black—highlighted a unique, capable, and serious atmosphere in a subtle combination. It was completely different from the environment at Otsuka Station. There was not a trace of slackness on the faces of the suit-clad brigade and the female administrative officers in police uniforms walking back and forth; they operated as quickly as precision instruments.

Pushing open the door to the conference room, three prosecutors from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office were already there, and opposite the District Public Prosecutors Office, three prosecutors from the Police Affairs Department wearing sky-blue police uniforms and a Management Officer from Investigation Division 1 were also seated.

"You are Uesugi Muneyuki from the Forensic Pathology Department of the Medical and Dental University affiliated hospital, right?"

The three prosecutors were dressed in suits and leather shoes, two men and one woman, sitting opposite with stern and fierce expressions. The female prosecutor indeed had some ethnic characteristics of Korean descent on her face.

The predecessor of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office also had ties to Five-Star MacArthur. After the war, Five-Star MacArthur was very angry after inspecting the status quo. He believed that the entire government organization and system were rotten to the core. Under MacArthur's instruction, the Special Investigation Team was established, striking hard at both the political and business worlds, as well as the black and white paths, hitting all the pre-war zaibatsu families.

This group was the predecessor of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office.

"Yes."

"The on-site autopsy for the Bunkyo Ward arson-murder case was performed by you personally, correct?"

"Yes." Uesugi Muneyuki was expressionless.

"Then can you explain why you performed an on-site dissection without obtaining permission from the family or approval from the District Public Prosecutors Office? Who allowed you to perform an on-site dissection?!"

The fifty-something middle-aged man sitting directly opposite Uesugi Muneyuki was the "Prosecutor Kamibayashi" mentioned earlier by Police Inspector Megure. He looked ferocious and slammed the documents onto the table: "Are you kidding me?!"

"My judgment was based on the facts occurring at the scene and scientific evidence." Uesugi Muneyuki said expressionlessly: "According to forensic knowledge and the provisions of the Police Law, under the condition that local police are present, I have the right to examine the corpse."

"Yes, at the time, Police Inspector Megure of the Metropolitan Police Department's Investigation Division 1 and Police Inspector Sudo of Otsuka Station were both at the scene. They had the right to request Mr. Uesugi to perform an on-site dissection to determine whether the cause of death was an accidental death or a homicide." The Metropolitan Police Department's Police Affairs Department Management Officer flipped through the legal codes on the spot: "This standard complies with regulations."

"There are indeed regulations for requesting an autopsy at the scene, but there must be sufficient evidence to prove that this incident could be a murder case. I ask you, where is the evidence?" The District Public Prosecutors Office side continued to ask: "Please answer, Mr. Uesugi!"

"Metropolitan Police Department, shut up!" The female prosecutor immediately signaled for the Metropolitan Police Department side not to participate: "We are questioning the person involved."

The atmosphere in the conference room immediately became much heavier. Six eyes from the three people in front of Uesugi Muneyuki, and six eyes from the three Metropolitan Police Department superintendents behind him—Police Inspector Megure, Section Chief Sudo, and Ikeda Erena—were all fixed on Uesugi Muneyuki.

A look of worry appeared on the face of the tall beauty Erena; she no longer knew how to answer at this moment.

Uesugi, what should we do...

"The evidence is that there was no adhesive matter in the victim's trachea and lungs." Uesugi Muneyuki replied.

"What I am asking you is, what was your basis for performing the dissection on-site?"

"The basis is that I believe this was not an accident, but a murder."

"And what is your evidence that you believe this is murder?"

"The evidence is that there was no adhesive matter in the victim's trachea and lungs."

"I did not ask you for this evidence; I asked you for your reason for performing the dissection!"

"The reason is that I believe this was not an accident, but a murder."

"Just because you believe it is a murder, you performed an on-site dissection without any evidence of a possible murder and without obtaining permission from the family, a judge, or the Public Prosecutors Office?"

"The evidence is that there was no adhesive matter in the victim's trachea and lungs."

After this round of replies, the atmosphere on the Metropolitan Police Department side had gone from serious to the point of barely being able to hold back laughter. The three Metropolitan Police Department superintendents buried their faces in their necks, shaking uncontrollably as they held back their laughter. Police Inspector Megure and Police Inspector Sudo turned their faces away, holding back their laughter with all their might, and Erena simply covered her mouth with her hands; one could faintly hear her "hu-hu-hu" laughter in the room.

In contrast, the faces of the three prosecutors from the District Public Prosecutors Office had turned the color of pig liver. Prosecutor Kamibayashi, the leader, held it in for a long time, panting heavily.

He got trapped in a loop!

This kid, when you ask for reasons he gives you evidence, when you ask for evidence he gives you reasons, yet the fact remains that there was indeed no particulate matter in the trachea; based on the judgment of professional forensic institutions and the University of Tokyo's Forensic Autopsy Report, Uesugi Muneyuki's judgment is reasonable and logical, and in fact, even the District Public Prosecutors Office knows that if smoke and dust do not reach the lungs, it is ironclad proof of death before the fire.

He really hit a bug, but how did this kid dare to do it? Doesn't he know that if this incision had revealed particulate matter, the District Public Prosecutors Office could have seized upon that point and used a combination of blows to hammer him and the Metropolitan Police Department to death?

Oh wait, not the Metropolitan Police Department; as an old rival of the Metropolitan Police Department, Prosecutor Kamibayashi knows them too well—if they really couldn't hold up, the Metropolitan Police Department would immediately perform a Justice Cutter, stating that Uesugi Muneyuki was only a temporary worker at a local station and had no connection to the Metropolitan Police Department.

Sure enough, seeing that Uesugi Muneyuki had held his ground, the lead inspector from the Police Affairs Department immediately said: "Uesugi-kun's dissection was performed with the permission of the local station and Investigation Division 1. After Investigation Division 1 arrived at the scene, Police Inspector Megure and Police Inspector Sudo, who was present, exchanged information fully and reached a consensus; they both believed there was a need for further inspection of the scene."

"Yes." "That is correct." Police Inspector Megure and Police Inspector Sudo exchanged a glance and immediately affirmed.

Under these circumstances, no matter how much the Metropolitan Police Department and the local station disagree, they must present a united front at this time.

The expressions on the side of the District Public Prosecutors Office became even uglier.

Having failed in their first strike, they could only try to find a breakthrough from other aspects: "According to information received, Uesugi Muneyuki's family hosted several members of Otsuka Station at Harukaze Tei that day; may I ask if this is true?"

"It is true; this was my father expressing gratitude for the care Otsuka Station has always shown me." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded: "The expenses for the Ryotei were covered by my family."

"Then, did those few detectives from Otsuka Station conduct the search while intoxicated?" The District Public Prosecutors Office pressed the question as expected.

"The arson site is located within the jurisdiction of Otsuka Station in Bunkyo Ward. Although the officers from Otsuka Station were not on duty at the time, they suspended the banquet and immediately headed to the scene out of a sense of honorable duty. At the scene, because alcohol had been consumed, Investigation Division 1 prohibited Otsuka Station from participating in the search, so although the officers from Otsuka Station had consumed alcoholic beverages, it does not constitute a violation of the Police Law." The Metropolitan Police Department side responded immediately.

"It is understood that the deceased, Mr. Koyama, was a Regular Employee, and you, Mr. Uesugi, just became a Regular Employee at the hospital; did you firmly believe there was a suspicion of murder out of sympathy or some other emotion?"

"I believe there is a suspicion of murder based solely on factual evidence and professional knowledge, and it has nothing to do with Mr. Koyama's status."

"So, in the Forensic Autopsy Report, you believe the deceased was strangled; is that also based on professional knowledge and factual evidence?" The District Public Prosecutors Office still would not let Uesugi Muneyuki go.

This was also a trap question.

The Metropolitan Police Department side became worried again.

"Yes, it is based on my professional knowledge." Uesugi Muneyuki was very calm: "People who are strangled have the characteristics of being strangled; I wrote that in the report."

"Are you saying you identified the bruising on the skin of the charred corpse with the naked eye?"

"Yes." Uesugi Muneyuki was very composed.

"What did you use to distinguish it?"

"I distinguished it with the naked eye."

"Are you saying you used the naked eye to distinguish bruising on the skin of a charred corpse that would require a professional colorimeter to differentiate?"

"Yes, based on my professional knowledge."

"What professional knowledge?"

"People who are strangled have the characteristics of being strangled; I wrote that in the report."

"Pfft—hahahahaha!" Someone on the Metropolitan Police Department side finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Correspondingly, the three people from the District Public Prosecutors Office were already completely red-faced; the lead Prosecutor Kamibayashi opened and closed his mouth, held it in for a long time without being able to say a word, and finally could only stand up: "Alright, that is all for today, thank you very much!"

After speaking, the three from the District Public Prosecutors Office, their faces the color of liver, grabbed their Briefcases and scurried out as if fleeing.

Once the conference room door closed, a burst of cheerful laughter immediately erupted in the room; the air inside and outside the conference room was filled with joy.

Today's round was won by our Metropolitan Police Department!

I checked, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office is really as arrogant as can be; it's not just nonsense in TV dramas.

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(End of this chapter)