Hirobuchi Kurokawa's February 2020 profile photo in Tokyo, Japan. (Xinhua News Agency/Midland)
BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Hiroshi Kurokawa, chief prosecutor of the High Prosecutor's Office in Tokyo, Japan, went out to play mahjong gambling during the state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, putting pressure on Minister of Justice Masako Mori and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Masako Mori said on the 22nd that she would not resign.
Kyodo News Agency reported that Kurokawa, including May, was punished with "reprimand" on the 21st by two Sankei Shimbun reporters and one former reporter from the Asahi Shimbun, a total of four people who played mahjong gambling many times. Kurokawa submitted his resignation that night on the grounds of his own rash actions, and the Japanese government approved Kurokawa's resignation at a cabinet meeting on the 22nd.
At a press conference held on the 22nd, Masako Mori said that she submitted a written request to Abe on the evening of the 21st to inquire about her where to stay, and Abe retained it, saying that "in order to restore the damaged trust of the procuratorial department, I hope you will continue to hold your post."
Masako Sen said she knows the road ahead is difficult, but the implementation of judicial policies cannot be stopped.
Abe told a congressional committee later on the 22nd that he had no intention of resigning and had asked Masako Moriko to continue her duties. "It is my responsibility to curb the spread of COVID-19, protect people's health, lives, and maintain employment and business operations."
The electronic edition of the Japanese magazine "Bunkharu Weekly" revealed on the 20th that Kurokawa went to the home of a Sankei Shimbun reporter in Tokyo on May 1 and 13 to play mahjong with another Sankei Shimbun reporter and a Four Asahi Shimbun reporters.
Both the Sankei Shimbun and the Asahi Shimbun published internal investigation results on the 22nd, confirming that the corresponding personnel played mahjong gambling and apologized for this.
Tokyo, japan's worst area of COVID-19, entered a state of emergency on April 7 and has not been lifted so far. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government advises people to practice social distancing during the pandemic and avoid unnecessary outings.
Kurokawa went out to gather to play mahjong during the state of emergency, triggering public outrage, and opposition lawmakers demanded that Abe and Masako Mori take responsibility. Jun Anzumi, a member of the Cadets' Parliamentary Countermeasures Committee, accused Abe and Masako Mori of not assuming "the slightest political responsibility" so far.
Kurokawa, 63, was approved in January to postpone his retirement, causing public concern and was once seen as the successor to Japan's attorney general. Nagoya High Prosecutor General Hayashi Masayoshi is now seen as a possible candidate to succeed Kurokawa.
After Kurokawa's retirement was delayed, the Japanese government tried to push the Diet to pass amendments to the Prosecutor's Office Act to raise the retirement age for prosecutors. The amendment was strongly opposed by former Attorney General Kunihiro Matsuo and the Japan Bar Association and other members and institutions in the judicial circles. Sources in Abe's Liberal Democratic Party said the government may abandon pushing for amendments to the Prosecutor's Office Law.