Kanagawa Police Chief Apologizes for Major Failures in Kawasaki Stalking-Murder Case Response

Police Admit Major Lapses in Stalking Case

The Kanagawa Prefectural Police in Japan has issued a formal apology after an internal investigation revealed significant failures in its initial handling of a stalking case in Kawasaki, which tragically escalated into a murder. The police chief publicly acknowledged that the force's response systems had become largely ineffective, described as a 'hollowing out' of established protocols, directly contributing to the tragic outcome.

The investigation focused on a case where a young woman was found deceased, having been a victim of prolonged stalking. Her family had repeatedly sought help from the police, reporting the escalating threats and concerns about her safety. Despite these urgent pleas and the provision of compelling evidence, the police response was found to be inadequate and slow, causing deep frustration and anger among the victim's relatives.

Systemic Failures and Lack of Coordination

A key finding of the internal review highlighted a critical lack of coordination and communication between the local police station in charge of the case and the prefectural police headquarters. It was revealed that the decision to discontinue the victim's consultation and intervention efforts was made by the station chief, without proper oversight or effective integration with higher-level command. This internal dysfunction meant that repeated calls for help were effectively overlooked or downplayed.

Experts analyzing the case emphasized that the police failed to adequately understand the specific characteristics of domestic violence (DV) and stalking situations, where threats often escalate rapidly and require immediate, specialized intervention. The repeated SOS signals from the victim were largely disregarded, indicating a profound misjudgment of the danger she faced.

Disciplinary Actions and Public Outcry

In response to the severe shortcomings identified, both the National Police Agency and the Kanagawa Prefectural Police have taken disciplinary action against 43 officers involved in the case. This measure reflects the serious nature of the failures and the institutional responsibility for the inappropriate handling of the victim's pleas for help. The victim's father has publicly expressed his strong indignation at the police's delayed admission of fault, stating that his family had been continuously raising concerns from the very beginning.

What happens next

Following this public apology and the disciplinary actions, the Kanagawa Prefectural Police are expected to implement significant reforms to their victim support and stalking prevention protocols. The focus will likely be on strengthening inter-departmental communication, improving training for officers on handling sensitive cases like stalking and domestic violence, and ensuring that victims' concerns are treated with the utmost urgency and seriousness. The authorities face the challenge of rebuilding public trust and demonstrating that such grave errors will not be repeated.