TOKYO (TR) – A 48-year-old prosecutor formerly attached to the elite Special Investigation Squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office is under fire for allegedly engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a female suspect, investigative sources revealed Wednesday, reports Jij Press (July 8).
According to sources, the prosecutor initially interrogated the woman as a suspect in an election law violation case. The two subsequently began an intimate relationship, which reportedly included staying together at a hotel that had been explicitly rented for investigative purposes.
Adding weight to the scandal, the 48-year-old recently served as the lead prosecutor in the high-profile political slush fund scandal involving factions of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. He was transferred to his current post at the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office in April of this year.
His relationship with the woman originated from a different case handled by the department—unrelated to the slush fund scandal—in which they stood in the respective roles of interrogator and suspect. Although the prosecutor is married, he began sending messages to the woman via social media while the investigation was ongoing; the romantic relationship reportedly commenced after the investigation had concluded.
The Supreme Public Prosecutors Office is believed to be considering disciplinary action regarding the misuse of investigative resources and professional misconduct.
However, a senior official at the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office declined to confirm the allegations, stating, “At this time, we cannot comment on anything, including whether an investigation is currently taking place.”
