Chapter 130 - Name and Reality 53 {81 Solo} (188–190: Toward Oshima's Arrest—Nishida's Secret Plan)
"Please tell us without keeping us in suspense," Mitani requested this time, perhaps because Yasumura didn't open his mouth immediately.
"I would like you to listen without being surprised."
Nishida got the impression that Yasumura wasn't so much reacting to the comment as he had simply decided to speak at his own pace.
"Actually, I received word from the Prefectural Police HQ just now, and instructions have been issued to request an arrest warrant for Oshima."
"No, ah... what!?"
Not only Nishida, but Koyabu also inadvertently let out incoherent words. Mitani and Matsuura were silent, but they appeared quite astounded. They hadn't expected direct instructions for Oshima's arrest to be issued. To put it grandly, it was a situation that could be described as earth-shattering.
"What on earth does this mean?" Nishida asked again after finally regaining his composure.
"The (Prefectural Police) HQ asked for confirmation on the investigation status the other day, so I replied that regarding the Kyoritsu Hospital case, 'While indictment is one thing, arrest is fully possible,' and as a result, it seems this happened. I haven't heard the details clearly yet, but it seems the National Police Agency is the source of the instructions rather than the Prefectural Police HQ. However, the date of the arrest has been specified."
While saying "details are unknown," he explained quite thoroughly.
"Wait a minute! Certainly, regarding the arrest for the Kyoritsu Hospital shooting, even though there's no direct confession from Nakagawa, since Nakagawa's involvement is clear, I think an arrest is possible by inferring instructions from Oshima to Nakagawa based on their relationship. However, given who the opponent is, I felt it wasn't a situation where we could actively make an arrest, and on top of that, to suddenly have a date specified... Besides, Oshima is hospitalized and has been diagnosed as not being in a condition to be arrested."
Nishida, unable to hide his confusion, voiced his complaints to Yasumura, but Yasumura's next words were even more unexpected.
"The Prefectural Police HQ has apparently been told by the NPA that there's no doubt that issue can be cleared. As rumored, Oshima seems to be slightly prone to cerebral infarction, but at the very least, it seems there's actually nothing wrong with him that would require hospitalization and no visitors. Therefore, the judgment is that interrogation is fully possible at the Sapporo Detention Branch, which has medical facilities... It seems the medical certificate from Keiyo Hospital is also expected to be retracted. The detention center from arrest until the detention decision is also planned to be the Kotoni Detention Center. In other words, the interrogation will be in Sapporo, not Kitami."
It was shocking content, but Yasumura spoke matter-of-factly.
"Setting aside doing the arrest and detention in Sapporo, can we really believe such an uncertain thing, even if it's an order that came from the NPA?" Koyabu snapped this time, but Yasumura calmly said, "Since the instructions are this clear, the top brass at the Prefectural Police HQ must have confidence in it. I haven't heard it explicitly, but I suspect this sudden turn of events might be influenced by the weekly magazine article that came out yesterday (in the prefecture)."
Nishida, of course, knew that the article condemning the corruption involving Keiyo Hospital had appeared in Sensuku, including its intent, since he had actually been on the 'planning side,' but no one else here should have clearly understood that the article was meant to drive Oshima Kaiji out of the hospital. However, Yasumura, regardless of how much he understood the existence of the weekly magazine article from the previous day, seemed to sense that it was influencing the investigation in some way. On the other hand, hearing Yasumura's statement, Nishida was convinced that the weekly magazine article was having a major impact on this sudden change.
"So when is it? The specified date for the arrest told by the top brass." Mitani spoke up after a while, as if losing his patience.
"It's the day after tomorrow, September 17. The time is scheduled for around noon. Therefore, considering going to Tokyo, we have to request the arrest warrant immediately. Please also decide on the investigators to be dispatched to Tokyo right away. They'll have to leave for Tokyo tomorrow afternoon."
Yasumura continued to speak calmly, but contrary to his tone, the content was quite urgent.
"Even if it's an order from above, preparation by tomorrow! The schedule is quite reckless..." Mitani became quite displeased, and Nishida could fully understand that feeling. There was almost no time to think. However, Nishida understood what that 'specification' of September 17 meant, and understanding the intent of the NPA... no, the administration side, which was likely the true source that gave the instructions to the NPA, he felt an indescribable mood.
"Can't something be done? Headquarters Chief!" Matsuura, the Kitami Station criminal investigation section chief, asked hesitantly, perhaps because he was facing the head of the local superior organization.
"Well... I'm sure it's something difficult for all of you to accept easily, but it's also true that a chance is a chance. It's a fact that they went out of their way to make an early arrest possible... Anyway, I think the key point of this arrest decision is clearly the 17th. Therefore, that date cannot be moved. If we move it, we'd have to separately approach the hospital side to have Oshima arrested." After saying that, he bit his lower lip. Of course, even a brilliant superior wouldn't imagine that Nishida and the others had taken the lead in launching an information war using the weekly magazine.
"What do you mean by 'key point'?" Koyabu asked, curious about the word used.
"Director Koyabu, it's exactly as it sounds. The date of the 17th is the key point."
When told this, there was a momentary pause, but everyone except Nishida and Yasumura finally understood the meaning at that moment.
"It means they're going to clash it with that..."
In other words, they were going to have Oshima Kaiji arrested to coincide with Prime Minister Takamatsu's visit to North Korea on September 17. Of course, there was no room for doubt that the purpose was 'diversion of media coverage.' From the perspective of the mass media and the public, the weight of attention would likely lean toward the visit to North Korea, given the abduction issue and other factors. Of course, this case would also have a strong enough impact to make it a very close race...
In short, it was undoubtedly a calculation to clearly thin out the impact of the arrest on murder suspicions of a prominent incumbent Member of Parliament from the same Minyu Party, even if he was a political rival.
However, it didn't seem like it had been planned that way from before, regardless of the presence or absence of the weekly magazine report. If that were the case, the instructions should have reached them at a stage when there was more time. It could only be seen that the plan proceeded all at once with the weekly magazine report as the catalyst.
Even so, while wanting to use Oshima's involvement in the case for their own benefit, they also wanted to ensure the negative impact of the arrest wasn't too noisy—Nishida felt a sense of helplessness at the self-serving convenience of the administration.
On the other hand, it was clearly unexpected that the plan of Nishida and Takeshita—which was originally to use the weekly magazine attack to create a cushion by using hospital personnel matters for Oshima's arrest—had turned into the administration directly intervening with Keiyo Hospital, judging that it would be less impactful to have him arrested during a time of turmoil rather than later. Of course, even though they were being 'rushed,' it was undeniable that it was a godsend for the investigation side, and Nishida was inwardly beginning to feel a sense of 'gotcha.'
The Takamatsu Cabinet, while having distanced itself from Oshima, hadn't gone so far as to have him 'expelled' from Keiyo Hospital. However, if the weekly magazine fuss dragged on, in addition to Oshima's arrest, the scandal between the administration and Keiyo Hospital might also spread. They likely wanted to keep the fuss as small as possible by taking advantage of the confusion. While harboring conflicting thoughts, Nishida listened to Yasumura's talk.
"Anyway, Section Chief Matsuura (Kitami Station), please request the arrest warrant from the Kitami Branch immediately. Assistant Section Chief Nishida, please work with Section 1 Head Mitani and Section Chief Matsuura on the selection of investigators to be dispatched to Tokyo!" Yasumura gave instructions again, and everyone finished listening, having generally accepted it, though it couldn't be helped.
Everyone left the Regional Headquarters Chief's office together, and as they were about to head to the small conference room to discuss things again, Nishida suddenly stopped and said to the other three, "Sorry, I forgot something, so could you go ahead?" and returned to the Regional Headquarters Chief's office.
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"Excuse me," he said as he entered the room without knocking, and Yasumura, who was standing and looking outside, turned around to see what was happening and confirmed Nishida's presence.
"Did you forget something?" he asked with searching eyes.
"Yes. I'd like to confirm something—will this information about the arrest be leaked to the media in advance? Common sense says it's a matter that should be notified in advance no matter how you look at it, but I can see signs that they want to hide it..."
Even though he said he forgot something, he meant he 'forgot to ask,' but he continued the conversation, affirming the flow.
"That's a good reading... While the option of keeping it quiet from the media even after the arrest, like in Higashidate's case, doesn't exist, I don't think they'll tell them before the arrest either. I expect the arrangement is to make the official announcement after arriving in Sapporo."
"I thought so... In that case, the remaining issue is the time of the arrest, but is it around noon as you said earlier?"
"It seems they're also requesting cooperation from the Metropolitan Police Department, so it hasn't been finalized how it will turn out, but I hear it's scheduled for around then. Coverage related to the visit to North Korea should become active after early afternoon, so it's a natural schedule in a sense. He'll arrive in Sapporo in the evening. Right around the time the coverage related to the visit is peaking? And it won't make it in time for the evening edition that day."
When told this, Nishida said with a wry smile, "Well, that's how it would be. I understand. Sorry to take up your time." He gave a bow and was about to leave the room.
However, he suddenly stopped and muttered to himself, "I guess I should probably tell the Headquarters Chief properly..." and then spoke all at once in an incredibly light tone that he himself couldn't believe: "I'm sorry, but would it be okay if I leaked this to Doho?" Needless to say, it wasn't that he thought it was a light matter. He likely unconsciously judged that if he didn't ask that way, he wouldn't be able to bear the atmosphere of the place.
"A leak... about Oshima's arrest?" Yasumura reconfirmed Nishida's true intention.
"Yes. I have an acquaintance who's a reporter at Doho. In the investigation of the Sada Minoru murder case, both in '95 and recently, I was greatly indebted to him for providing information, specifically regarding the matter of Nakagawa meeting Motohashi at Kitami Station at the time of the incident. If possible, I want to repay those debts for the first time in seven years with this case. By letting him scoop it... I'm also full of the desire to strike back because I'm angry that the police investigation is being tossed around for the convenience of political power... But the source would be quite narrowed down at this point. I might end up causing you trouble."
"From the way you put it, the person you're leaking to isn't the retired former detective Takeshita," Yasumura said, based on information he had gathered while investigating past investigations when requesting Nishida's assignment to Kitami through Kurano.
"That's right. However, that reporter is also an acquaintance of Takeshita's."
"I see..." After saying that, Yasumura gently closed his eyes. Nishida thought silence would dominate between the two for a while, but Yasumura opened his mouth without much of an interval.
"In the first place, I, who had Higashi Nippon (Shinbun) ask a staged question, have no right to complain to Assistant Section Chief Nishida. So... I'll let it be as if I didn't hear it this time. However, please make sure the report is only after the arrest. Even if it's a breaking news story, make it the evening edition of that day. If so, it'll be limited to Hokkaido in Doho, it won't affect the arrest, and in the end, it won't be a major problem. No, well, there might be some, but I'm not in a position to hold Assistant Section Chief Nishida responsible. You're the person in charge of the investigation and you're well-versed in it. If by any chance it becomes a matter of responsibility... Yes, I'll take it on."
Because he mentioned the theory of responsibility, which was unexpected, Nishida was purely humbled, saying, "I can't possibly push my problem onto the Headquarters Chief..." but Yasumura said nonchalantly, "Well, it's a case of 'in for a penny, in for a pound.' Besides, if it's after the arrest is over, there's the North Korea issue, and I don't think anyone will grumble about a mere leak, right?" And then he emphasized, "Anyway, what's important is the specific time it's reported. That's the biggest problem, and if we can clear that, it won't be a big deal!"
"Of course I understand that. That's exactly why I confirmed the time of the arrest!" Nishida was delighted with Yasumura's 'full marks' response. And Nishida's plan was to imitate what happened when Takeshita leaked Motohashi's involvement in the Sada Minoru murder to Igarashi in '95, getting it into the Doho evening edition that day at the last possible moment, which normally wouldn't have made it after the press conference. In other words, even before confirming, his leak policy was in line with Yasumura's intention.
"I see... In that case, please do as you wish. If they're going to use us for this and that, it's only natural that we're allowed to do something they might not like a bit. I acted on that logic too." The face of Yasumura as he said this looked very satisfied.
"To be honest, I've never leaked anything against the organization's wishes before... no, in the first place, I've never leaked to the media at all..." Nishida added as if telling himself, and then confessed his inner feelings: "That's why I have a somewhat guilty feeling that I can't brush off like the Headquarters Chief... It's not like I'm the type of policeman who swears loyalty to the police organization, though."
To this, Yasumura made a mock-serious face and offered a false protest: "Wait a minute! Isn't my intention the organization's intention? I am the top of the Kitami Regional Headquarters (here), after all?"
"I think the Headquarters Chief understands that point best," Nishida said, laughing it off.
"Well, that's true. But you know, what we swear loyalty to shouldn't be the police organization, but what lies beyond it. To take it to the extreme, as long as the purpose is sound, I think the Heavens will overlook a deviation in the process." The serious face Yasumura made when he said this was clearly different from the one before, and it seemed to contain a strong will.
"You're right. That's how it should be. But as for myself, I'm just a small organization man after all, so a small rebellion is my limit," Nishida confessed in a low, pathetic voice.
"I wonder about that. The Assistant Section Chief's attitude in this case so far doesn't seem small. I don't think there's any need to be humble," Yasumura said in follow-up.
"I'm honored you say so," Nishida said, straightening his posture.
"The problem is how many other reporters are at the hospital. I hear they were staking it out quite a bit right after our press conference the other day, but since there's been no further progress, I think most of them have probably disappeared. And I'm sure they'll arrange it so he leaves through a back door or something, keeping those people in mind." Yasumura said this while glancing at Nishida.
"That's true, but in terms of time, the print media won't make it even if they find out. It might be troublesome if TV is there... But they must have decided to go with North Korea for the editing, and if so, the story itself shouldn't make it in time."
"I see. That's also true." Yasumura nodded slightly.
"Well, I don't have time to idle around, so that's that. I'll take my leave now!" Nishida added quickly and hurried out of the room.