KYOTO -- The chief of the Kyoto Prefectural Police force is suspected of telling a subordinate that he would kill them, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned. Since the chief has issued a comment generally admitting to the allegations, the police are investigating the details of the case, believing that it may constitute power harassment.

There have been several complaints from within the prefectural police department about problems with the words and actions of its 56-year-old chief Toshiaki Shirai.

According to the prefectural police, Shirai allegedly said, "I'm going to kill you," among other such aggressive verbal outbursts, to a senior officer in the prefectural police headquarters building in Kyoto's Kamigyo Ward in August while the chief was being briefed by the officer on how to proceed with his duties. The police also received information that similar inappropriate remarks were made on other occasions.

Shirai issued a comment stating, "I am sorry for the inappropriate remarks made to my subordinate." It is unusual for allegations of power harassment by the head of a prefectural police department to surface, and Shirai also commented, "I am also in the position of being investigated, so I will refrain from going into details."

According to Kyoto Prefectural Police's "outline of measures to prevent harassment," power harassment is defined as verbal or physical conduct exceeding the extent necessary and reasonable in the course of work, with a background of a superior relationship. It also states that power harassment "causes mental or physical pain, harms one's character and dignity, and must not be engaged in." It also cautions that the perception of words and actions may differ from generation to generation and from individual to individual.

The prefectural police's inspectorate office launched an investigation into the allegations in August. Interviews are being conducted with Shirai and officers involved to determine the content and circumstances of the remarks. They will also report the matter to the National Police Agency (NPA) and determine whether it constitutes power harassment.

Shirai joined the NPA in 1991 after graduating from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Economics. He became the chief of Kyoto Prefectural Police in March 2023 after serving as the head of the second investigation division of Hokkaido Prefectural Police, the chief of Toyama Prefectural Police, and the head of the general affairs department of the Metropolitan Police Department.

(Japanese original by Reona Mizutani and Saki Hidaka, Kyoto Bureau)