Going quietly to the Shinkansen without accountability…Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara: “Where I was headed on the weekend of the holiday season”.

Since the allegations were reported in the July 6 issue of “Shukan Bunshun,” a weekly magazine, the former assistant chief of police who interviewed Xuko has held a press conference stating that “there was a case” and that “there was a possibility of a murder. The former police lieutenant who interviewed Ms. X held a press conference to the effect that “there was a possibility of an incident,” and there is still no sign of a settlement.

The suspicious death of Xko’s ex-husband occurred in April 2006. At the time, the death was ruled a suicide and the investigation was closed, but there were many suspicious points, and in October 2006, Ms. Xko was interviewed voluntarily by the Metropolitan Police Department. According to the former police lieutenant in charge of the interview, the investigation was suddenly terminated a few days later, despite the fact that ‘I think there is probably no police officer who would say there is no case after seeing that. Then, suspicions were raised that Mr. Kihara may have exerted pressure in the background,” said a reporter from the society section of a national newspaper.

On the other hand, Tsuyoshi Kokubuta, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Investigation Department, reiterated that the investigation was conducted properly, saying, “The evidence confirms that there was no evidence of a crime and that the cause of death is consistent with suicide. Kihara himself has not publicly explained his suspicions, and in August he responded to an open letter of inquiry from the Democratic Party of Japan,

In August, in response to an open letter of inquiry from the Democratic Party of Japan, Kihara responded, “I have filed a criminal complaint regarding the news report, and I ask for your understanding to prevent any further violation of human rights.

In August, he responded to an open letter from the DPJ by saying, “We have filed a criminal complaint regarding the news report, and we ask for your understanding to prevent further human rights violations.

Kihara has remained silent about the “mysterious death” of his wife’s ex-husband, whose involvement is still being discussed. In early September, just as the holiday season was beginning, Kihara quietly left Tokyo.

In early September, Mr. Kihara quietly left Tokyo. His destination was Hiroshima.

The temperature in Hiroshima that day was a balmy 30 degrees Celsius. Although the sun was not strong, it was still a sweaty day. Mr. Kihara was sweating profusely, took off his jacket, and wore a grim expression on his face while fanning himself with a fan. His first stop was the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims.

On that day,” he said, “there was actually a training session for young members of the Koike-kai. The Koike-kai is chaired by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and is also known as the “Kishida Faction. Mr. Kihara, a close associate of Prime Minister Kishida, was invited to speak at the training session. On this day, he and the council members visited Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims, and the Atomic Bomb Dome, where they were briefed by a guide. In the evening, he entered an inn with the assembly members and gave a lecture there,” said an official of the Liberal Democratic Party.

The training schedule ended around 6:30 p.m., and a banquet started directly inside the inn. However, Mr. Kihara left the inn alone after 19:00. He got into a cab and headed directly to Hiroshima Station to return home.

Mr. Kihara has yet to explain the allegations. This magazine interviewed Mr. Kihara upon his return to Tokyo.

–There are people who say that Mr. Kihara himself should be accountable for the suspicious deaths that his wife is said to have been involved in.

If you have anything to say, please do so in writing.”

–There have been allegations that Mr. Kihara put pressure on the investigation. What is your perception of Mr. Kihara?

Can you give me this in writing?”

Mr. Kihara continued to repeat, “I will answer in writing,” in an exasperated tone in response to the reporter’s question. However, when the conversation turned to his own wife and relatives, he responded as follows

–What kind of conversation have you had with your wife about this matter?

We have not talked about it. Nothing at all. I had nothing to do with it at the time. So I didn’t ask him about any of the details.

–However, there are suspicions that there was pressure on the investigation regarding the reopening of the investigation in 2006.

That is not the case.

–Have you talked with your wife’s father about this matter?

We have not, yes. As I have said repeatedly about that, okay?　（I have never put any pressure (on the investigation). As for the substance of that (suspicious death case), please ask the police about that. I have no way of knowing about the case.

After saying this, he got into a cab and drove away.

When we later sent a letter of inquiry to Kihara’s office regarding his views on the allegations of pressuring the investigation and his plans for a press conference, we received the following response from Kihara himself.

Mr. Kihara himself responded as follows: “There is absolutely no such fact as you have pointed out. (omitted) I have repeatedly said, ‘There is no fact of pressure, etc.’ (omitted). As for other facts related to the police response, please ask the investigating authorities, as there are also humanitarian concerns,’ I have answered fairly and clearly (omitted), and there is nothing more I can tell you.”

While his duties are of course important, there are other priorities. What Mr. Kihara should do now is to sincerely and honestly fulfill his accountability for the allegations against him.