TSUCHIURA, Ibaraki -- Plainclothes police staking out a station apparently managed to blow two chances to capture a murder suspect prior to his fatal stabbing rampage there.
Masahiro Kanagawa, 24, an unemployed resident of Tsuchiura, allegedly passed through a ticket gate at JR Arakawaoki Station, despite the plainclothes officers on guard there, on March 22 and again on March 23 -- the day he went on a rampage that left one dead and seven injured.
Kanagawa, who is under arrest over the March 19 murder of Yoshikazu Miura, 72, had been wanted since March 21 after he sent an e-mail message to his mother's mobile phone earlier the same day, saying that he was going to kill more people.
Kanagawa also called and taunted police, calling them from his mobile phone at around 12:42 p.m. on March 22, and saying, "I'm Kanagawa, try and catch me soon."
The prefectural police determined that the man made the call at the Arakawaoki Station and dispatched several plainclothes policemen to the station, with two of them keeping watch over the ticket gate at the station.
However, Kanagawa managed to move to JR Toride Station and called police again at 1:38 p.m. the same day, this time making a silent call.
Investigators suspect that Kanagawa used Arakawaoki Station on March 22, because he told police after his arrest that he had "gone by train" after leaving a business hotel in Tokyo's Akihabara district earlier the same day. Kanagawa does not have a driver's license.
There is also a witness report that says a man believed to be Kanagawa was spotted near the station on March 22.
A 46-year-old man, who said he was driving a car on a road about 500 meters north of the station at around 1 p.m. on March 22 told police, "I saw a man closely resembling (Kanagawa) walking while murmuring, with a knit cap and black jacket on. I remember I was impressed with his long sideburns, and shortly later I heard a police siren."
茨城県土浦市のＪＲ荒川沖駅周辺で起きた８人殺傷事件で、別の殺人容疑で逮捕された同市中村東３、無職、金川（かながわ）真大（まさひろ）容疑者（２４）を、殺傷事件前日も県警の捜査員が荒川沖駅で見逃していた可能性が高いことが分かった。容疑者は２３日の殺傷事件直前に私服警察官２人が内外にいた改札口をすり抜けている。２日連続で指名手配中の容疑者に気づかず、県警の捜査体制が改めて問われそうだ。
調べでは、金川容疑者は殺傷事件２日前の２１日午前、母親の携帯電話に「犠牲者が増えるよ」と事件を予告するメールを送った。県警もこれを把握し２１日夕、市内の三浦芳一さん（７２）殺害事件で指名手配し公開捜査に切り替えた。
一方、容疑者は２２日午後０時４２分に１１０番し「金川です」と名乗り「早く捕まえてごらん」と話して切った。県警は携帯電話の位置情報から発信は荒川沖駅東口と割り出した。駅には始発から改札口内外に１人ずつ、周辺にも３～５人の私服警官を配置、重点警戒をしていた。容疑者は約１時間後の午後１時３８分にＪＲ取手駅付近から再び無言で１１０番している。２２日は東京・秋葉原のビジネスホテルを出た後「電車で移動した」と供述しており、荒川沖駅改札を出入りし、再び電車で移動したとみられるが、張り込みの警察官は気づかなかった。容疑者は運転免許を持たず、県警は駅の警戒を強めていた。
２２日午後１時すぎに荒川沖駅東口から北約５００メートルの路地で車を運転していたという店員の男性（４６）は「ニット帽をかぶった黒の上着の（金川容疑者と）よく似た男がぶつぶつ言いながら歩いているのを見た。長いもみあげが印象的で、直後にパトカーのサイレンが響いた」と話し、容疑者とみられる男が駅周辺にいたという目撃情報もある。
March 31, 2008
Mainichi
Monday, March 31, 2008
Fukuoka cop arrested for attempted rape
FUKUOKA -- A police captain here has been arrested for attempting to rape a woman he met during an investigation.
Fukuoka Prefectural Police on Friday arrested Takashi Nitta, 48, captain at the prefectural police, on charges of attempted rape. Nitta has denied the allegations.
According to police, Nitta asked a Fukuoka woman, who'd cooperated in an investigation, out for dinner on Feb. 26. After the two had dined at a bar in Fukuoka's Chuo-ku, Nitta invited her to a karaoke bar; and at around 10:25 p.m. the same day, Nitta allegedly took her to a hotel in Chuo-ku, shoved her to the bed and forced a kiss on her.
The case surfaced after the woman complained to the prefectural police on March 12. However, Nitta denies the charges, saying, "It is totally incorrect. It's true that we went to a hotel, but I didn't ask her to go."
"It is very shameful for us police officers, and it's extremely regrettable. We deeply apologize to the victim and to prefectural citizens," Kenichi Fujiwara, chief inspector at the prefectural police, said.
Nitta was transferred to the police affairs department after his arrest.
Recently, another senior policeman at Fukuoka Prefectural Police was accused of trespassing and subsequently resigned.
強姦未遂：福岡の警部逮捕 女性をホテルに連れ込む
福岡県警は２８日、知人女性に性的暴行をしようとしたとして、福岡市早良区西新７、同県警地域課課長補佐（警部）、新田隆容疑者（４８）＝逮捕後、警務課付＝を強姦未遂容疑で逮捕した。
調べでは、新田容疑者は機動捜査隊班長だった２月２６日、捜査協力者の女性会社員（２７）＝福岡市在住＝を電話で誘い、同市中央区の居酒屋で飲食。その後、「カラオケに行こう」と誘い、同日午後１０時２５分ごろ、同区内のホテルに連れ込み、女性をベッドに押し倒して無理やりキスするなどして乱暴しようとした疑い。女性が同容疑者の顔をたたくなどして抵抗したという。同容疑者は非番勤務だった。
３月１２日、女性が県警に被害を届け出て発覚。同容疑者は調べに対し「全然違います。ホテルに行ったのは事実ですが、私は誘っていません」と供述し、強姦未遂容疑を否認しているという。
同県警では捜査２課巡査長＝退職＝が住居侵入事件を起こしたばかり。藤原健一・首席監察官は「同じ警察官として大変情けない。痛恨の極み。被害者や県民に深くおわびする」と謝罪した。【和田武士】
March 31, 2008
Maichichi
Fukuoka Prefectural Police on Friday arrested Takashi Nitta, 48, captain at the prefectural police, on charges of attempted rape. Nitta has denied the allegations.
According to police, Nitta asked a Fukuoka woman, who'd cooperated in an investigation, out for dinner on Feb. 26. After the two had dined at a bar in Fukuoka's Chuo-ku, Nitta invited her to a karaoke bar; and at around 10:25 p.m. the same day, Nitta allegedly took her to a hotel in Chuo-ku, shoved her to the bed and forced a kiss on her.
The case surfaced after the woman complained to the prefectural police on March 12. However, Nitta denies the charges, saying, "It is totally incorrect. It's true that we went to a hotel, but I didn't ask her to go."
"It is very shameful for us police officers, and it's extremely regrettable. We deeply apologize to the victim and to prefectural citizens," Kenichi Fujiwara, chief inspector at the prefectural police, said.
Nitta was transferred to the police affairs department after his arrest.
Recently, another senior policeman at Fukuoka Prefectural Police was accused of trespassing and subsequently resigned.
強姦未遂：福岡の警部逮捕 女性をホテルに連れ込む
福岡県警は２８日、知人女性に性的暴行をしようとしたとして、福岡市早良区西新７、同県警地域課課長補佐（警部）、新田隆容疑者（４８）＝逮捕後、警務課付＝を強姦未遂容疑で逮捕した。
調べでは、新田容疑者は機動捜査隊班長だった２月２６日、捜査協力者の女性会社員（２７）＝福岡市在住＝を電話で誘い、同市中央区の居酒屋で飲食。その後、「カラオケに行こう」と誘い、同日午後１０時２５分ごろ、同区内のホテルに連れ込み、女性をベッドに押し倒して無理やりキスするなどして乱暴しようとした疑い。女性が同容疑者の顔をたたくなどして抵抗したという。同容疑者は非番勤務だった。
３月１２日、女性が県警に被害を届け出て発覚。同容疑者は調べに対し「全然違います。ホテルに行ったのは事実ですが、私は誘っていません」と供述し、強姦未遂容疑を否認しているという。
同県警では捜査２課巡査長＝退職＝が住居侵入事件を起こしたばかり。藤原健一・首席監察官は「同じ警察官として大変情けない。痛恨の極み。被害者や県民に深くおわびする」と謝罪した。【和田武士】
March 31, 2008
Maichichi
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Police superintendent cops suspension for copying porn seized as evidence
FUNABASHI, Chiba -- A police superintendent who ordered assistants to copy pornographic DVDs seized as evidence in a crime case so he could take them home and watch them has been suspended from duty for one month, police said.
Also punished were the captain who issued the order for the DVDs to be copied, and the assistant inspector who actually made the copies in the Funabashi Higashi Police Station, both of whom will have a 10 percent pay cut for the next six months.
The assistant inspector has also been reported to the Chiba District Public Prosecutors Office, accused of proliferation of indecent images.
"This is extremely regrettable," Chiba Prefectural Police spokesman Atsushi Nishiyama said. "We deeply apologize to the people of the prefecture. We will thoroughly manage evidence and try to make sure something like this doesn't happen again."
Police said the superintendent asked the captain to make copies of uncensored pornographic DVDs police had seized in a raid on a Funabashi video dealer in September 2006. The captain then instructed the assistant inspector to copy the movies in October 2006. The assistant inspector made copies of 18 DVDs, giving them to the superintendent, assistant inspector and another officer at the station.
ポルノＤＶＤ：警視、複製し持ち帰り 停職１カ月－－県警 ／千葉
船橋東署の刑事官だった警視（４６）＝現県警留置管理課付＝が、事件の証拠品であるポルノＤＶＤを署内でダビングさせ持ち帰っていた問題で、県警は２６日、警視を停職１カ月の懲戒処分とした。警視の依頼で部下に指示した警部（６０）＝当時同署生活安全課長、現同署付▽署内でダビングした警部補（５３）＝当時同署巡査部長、現八千代署係長＝の２人も減給１０分の１（６カ月）とした。また、警部補をわいせつ図画頒布容疑で千葉地検に書類送検した。
県警監察官室によると、警視は０６年９月、同署が船橋市のビデオ販売店から押収した無修正ＤＶＤを、観賞用にダビングするよう警部に依頼。警部から指示された警部補は０６年１０月、署内で１８枚ダビングし、警視や警部、部下の男性巡査に渡した。
同県警の西山厚志・首席監察官は「誠に遺憾。県民に深くおわびする。証拠品の管理を徹底し、再発防止に努める」とコメントした。【中川聡子】
March 27, 2008
Mainichi
Also punished were the captain who issued the order for the DVDs to be copied, and the assistant inspector who actually made the copies in the Funabashi Higashi Police Station, both of whom will have a 10 percent pay cut for the next six months.
The assistant inspector has also been reported to the Chiba District Public Prosecutors Office, accused of proliferation of indecent images.
"This is extremely regrettable," Chiba Prefectural Police spokesman Atsushi Nishiyama said. "We deeply apologize to the people of the prefecture. We will thoroughly manage evidence and try to make sure something like this doesn't happen again."
Police said the superintendent asked the captain to make copies of uncensored pornographic DVDs police had seized in a raid on a Funabashi video dealer in September 2006. The captain then instructed the assistant inspector to copy the movies in October 2006. The assistant inspector made copies of 18 DVDs, giving them to the superintendent, assistant inspector and another officer at the station.
ポルノＤＶＤ：警視、複製し持ち帰り 停職１カ月－－県警 ／千葉
船橋東署の刑事官だった警視（４６）＝現県警留置管理課付＝が、事件の証拠品であるポルノＤＶＤを署内でダビングさせ持ち帰っていた問題で、県警は２６日、警視を停職１カ月の懲戒処分とした。警視の依頼で部下に指示した警部（６０）＝当時同署生活安全課長、現同署付▽署内でダビングした警部補（５３）＝当時同署巡査部長、現八千代署係長＝の２人も減給１０分の１（６カ月）とした。また、警部補をわいせつ図画頒布容疑で千葉地検に書類送検した。
県警監察官室によると、警視は０６年９月、同署が船橋市のビデオ販売店から押収した無修正ＤＶＤを、観賞用にダビングするよう警部に依頼。警部から指示された警部補は０６年１０月、署内で１８枚ダビングし、警視や警部、部下の男性巡査に渡した。
同県警の西山厚志・首席監察官は「誠に遺憾。県民に深くおわびする。証拠品の管理を徹底し、再発防止に努める」とコメントした。【中川聡子】
March 27, 2008
Mainichi
Man matching suspect in murder of British woman spotted in Ikebukuro
A man closely resembling the suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a British woman has been frequently spotted in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district, police said.
Chiba Prefectural Police have received about 40 pieces of information in which witnesses said they saw in Ikebukuro a man resembling Tatsuya Ichihashi, 29, who is wanted in connection with the murder of Lindsay Ann Hawker, 22.
The witnesses said a man whose eyes and other characteristics closely resembled Ichihashi had frequently visited a pachinko parlor, a hotel and restaurants near JR Ikebukuro Station since right after the murder of Hawker in March last year up until recently.
The investigation headquarters at the prefectural police has also found that Ichihashi, an unemployed man from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, had visited Ikebukuro with an acquaintance before the slaying took place.
Presuming that Ichihashi may still be in the Ikebukuro area, police have deployed a large number of investigators to the district, trying to get information on the suspect from restaurants, hotels and adult-entertainment shops in the area.
The body of Hawker, who was an English teacher at a private language school, was found in a bath tub on the balcony of Ichihashi's apartment in Ichikawa in March last year. Ichihashi, who was Hawker's private student, has been on the run since the body was found.
After the murder, the prefectural police publicized a facial photo of Ichihashi, as well as an image of him in the disguise of a woman, and Ichihashi's hand-drawn picture of Hawker, leading to more than 3,000 pieces of information on the suspect being submitted by the public to prefectural police.
The National Police Agency (NPA) will pay a reward up to 1 million yen to anyone who provides information that could lead to the arrest of Ichihashi before June.
People with information on the suspect can call the investigation headquarters at: 047-397-0110.
一方、これまでの調べで、市橋容疑者が事件前に知人と池袋を訪れていたことも判明。このため、捜査本部は池袋に土地勘があり、事件後も訪れている可能性があるとみて、捜査員を集中的に投入。飲食店やホテル、風俗店での聞き込みなどを進めている。
捜査本部は１４１人態勢で臨んでおり、市橋容疑者が女装して潜伏している可能性もあるとみて、女装写真も作成して公開。また、絵を描くことが趣味だった市橋容疑者がリンゼイさんを以前描いたデッサンも公開している。これまで、池袋での目撃も含め、３０００件以上の情報が寄せられている。
警察庁も逮捕につながる情報の提供者に、今年６月まで最大１００万円を支払うことにしている。情報は県警の捜査本部（電話０４７・３９７・０１１０）で受け付けている。【山本太一】
【ことば】リンゼイさん殺害事件
千葉県船橋市に住んでいた英国籍の英会話学校女性講師、リンゼイさんが行方不明になり、千葉県警の捜査員がリンゼイさんの個人レッスンを受けていた同県市川市の市橋容疑者の自宅を訪問して、ベランダにあった浴槽内で遺体を発見した。この時、市橋容疑者は自宅にいたが、捜査員を振り切って逃走した。県警は死体遺棄容疑で市橋容疑者を指名手配し、捜査員延べ４万５０００人を投入して行方を追っている。
March 26, 2008
Mainichi
Chiba Prefectural Police have received about 40 pieces of information in which witnesses said they saw in Ikebukuro a man resembling Tatsuya Ichihashi, 29, who is wanted in connection with the murder of Lindsay Ann Hawker, 22.
The witnesses said a man whose eyes and other characteristics closely resembled Ichihashi had frequently visited a pachinko parlor, a hotel and restaurants near JR Ikebukuro Station since right after the murder of Hawker in March last year up until recently.
The investigation headquarters at the prefectural police has also found that Ichihashi, an unemployed man from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, had visited Ikebukuro with an acquaintance before the slaying took place.
Presuming that Ichihashi may still be in the Ikebukuro area, police have deployed a large number of investigators to the district, trying to get information on the suspect from restaurants, hotels and adult-entertainment shops in the area.
The body of Hawker, who was an English teacher at a private language school, was found in a bath tub on the balcony of Ichihashi's apartment in Ichikawa in March last year. Ichihashi, who was Hawker's private student, has been on the run since the body was found.
After the murder, the prefectural police publicized a facial photo of Ichihashi, as well as an image of him in the disguise of a woman, and Ichihashi's hand-drawn picture of Hawker, leading to more than 3,000 pieces of information on the suspect being submitted by the public to prefectural police.
The National Police Agency (NPA) will pay a reward up to 1 million yen to anyone who provides information that could lead to the arrest of Ichihashi before June.
People with information on the suspect can call the investigation headquarters at: 047-397-0110.
一方、これまでの調べで、市橋容疑者が事件前に知人と池袋を訪れていたことも判明。このため、捜査本部は池袋に土地勘があり、事件後も訪れている可能性があるとみて、捜査員を集中的に投入。飲食店やホテル、風俗店での聞き込みなどを進めている。
捜査本部は１４１人態勢で臨んでおり、市橋容疑者が女装して潜伏している可能性もあるとみて、女装写真も作成して公開。また、絵を描くことが趣味だった市橋容疑者がリンゼイさんを以前描いたデッサンも公開している。これまで、池袋での目撃も含め、３０００件以上の情報が寄せられている。
警察庁も逮捕につながる情報の提供者に、今年６月まで最大１００万円を支払うことにしている。情報は県警の捜査本部（電話０４７・３９７・０１１０）で受け付けている。【山本太一】
【ことば】リンゼイさん殺害事件
千葉県船橋市に住んでいた英国籍の英会話学校女性講師、リンゼイさんが行方不明になり、千葉県警の捜査員がリンゼイさんの個人レッスンを受けていた同県市川市の市橋容疑者の自宅を訪問して、ベランダにあった浴槽内で遺体を発見した。この時、市橋容疑者は自宅にいたが、捜査員を振り切って逃走した。県警は死体遺棄容疑で市橋容疑者を指名手配し、捜査員延べ４万５０００人を投入して行方を追っている。
March 26, 2008
Mainichi
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Underwear-snatching cop handed prison sentence
A police officer convicted of stealing women's underwear and groping a teenage girl was Wednesday sentenced to 2 1/2 years' imprisonment.
Handed the sentence at the Hachioji Branch of the Tokyo District Court was Keisuke Kamihara, a former senior officer in the Metropolitan Police Department's No. 7 riot police unit.
"His awareness of the norms as a police officer was numbed, and his criminal responsibility is great," Judge Kazunobu Yamazaki said as the officer was handed the sentence.
Yamazaki was convicted of sneaking into a woman's apartment in the Tokyo city of Tachikawa in October last year and stealing 17 items, including underwear. He also stole underwear and cash in five thefts between March and October last year, according to the ruling. In February last year, the 27-year-old officer also fondled the breasts of an 18-year-old girl on a road in Tachikawa and snatched a bag from her valued at 25,900 yen, the ruling said.
下着ドロ：元警視庁巡査長に懲役２年６月の実刑
アパートに侵入し女性の下着を盗むなどしたとして、窃盗や強制わいせつ罪などに問われた元警視庁第七機動隊巡査長、神原圭介被告（２７）＝懲戒免職＝に対し、東京地裁八王子支部は２６日、懲役２年６月（求刑・懲役３年６月）の実刑判決を言い渡した。山崎和信裁判官は「警察官としての規範意識がまひしており、刑事責任は重大だ」と指摘した。
判決によると、神原被告は昨年１０月、東京都立川市曙町にあるアパートの女性の部屋に忍び込み、下着など１７点を盗むなど、昨年３～１０月に５件の盗みをして現金や下着など計１４万３０００円相当を盗んだ。昨年２月には、立川市の路上で、女性（１８）の胸を触り手提げバッグ（時価２万５９００円相当）を奪った。【神澤龍二】
March 26, 2008
Mainichi
Handed the sentence at the Hachioji Branch of the Tokyo District Court was Keisuke Kamihara, a former senior officer in the Metropolitan Police Department's No. 7 riot police unit.
"His awareness of the norms as a police officer was numbed, and his criminal responsibility is great," Judge Kazunobu Yamazaki said as the officer was handed the sentence.
Yamazaki was convicted of sneaking into a woman's apartment in the Tokyo city of Tachikawa in October last year and stealing 17 items, including underwear. He also stole underwear and cash in five thefts between March and October last year, according to the ruling. In February last year, the 27-year-old officer also fondled the breasts of an 18-year-old girl on a road in Tachikawa and snatched a bag from her valued at 25,900 yen, the ruling said.
下着ドロ：元警視庁巡査長に懲役２年６月の実刑
アパートに侵入し女性の下着を盗むなどしたとして、窃盗や強制わいせつ罪などに問われた元警視庁第七機動隊巡査長、神原圭介被告（２７）＝懲戒免職＝に対し、東京地裁八王子支部は２６日、懲役２年６月（求刑・懲役３年６月）の実刑判決を言い渡した。山崎和信裁判官は「警察官としての規範意識がまひしており、刑事責任は重大だ」と指摘した。
判決によると、神原被告は昨年１０月、東京都立川市曙町にあるアパートの女性の部屋に忍び込み、下着など１７点を盗むなど、昨年３～１０月に５件の盗みをして現金や下着など計１４万３０００円相当を盗んだ。昨年２月には、立川市の路上で、女性（１８）の胸を触り手提げバッグ（時価２万５９００円相当）を奪った。【神澤龍二】
March 26, 2008
Mainichi
'Tired' police officer leaps to death from apartment block
KAWASAKI -- A National Police Agency (NPA) superintendent was found dead here early Tuesday, apparently after he leaped to his death from a building, law enforcers said.
The 43-year-old officer was found dead on a road outside the apartment block where he lived at about 5:25 a.m. on Tuesday. A note saying, "I'm tired," was found in the superintendent's home, leading police to suspect that he committed suicide. They are investigating possible motives.
NPA officials said that the superintendent was hired by the Imperial Guard, and from March 14 he had been assigned to a division specializing in international terrorism countermeasures.
"He had just been transferred, and we can't think of any worries or trouble with work he might have had," an NPA representative said.
In the Imperial Guard, the superintendent had belonged to the No. 2 protection division in charge of guarding the crown prince and his family.
自殺：警察庁警視がマンションから飛び降りか 川崎
２５日午前５時２５分ごろ川崎市麻生区のマンション前路上で、同マンションに住む警察庁警視の男性（４３）が倒れているのが見つかった。自宅からは「疲れた」などと書かれた遺書が見つかっており、神奈川県警麻生署は飛び降り自殺とみて動機を調べている。
同庁によると警視は皇宮警察の採用で、今月１４日付で、同庁警備局国際テロリズム対策課に異動になった。同庁は「異動したばかりで、仕事上のトラブルや悩みは思い当たらない」としている。警視は皇宮警察では、皇太子ご一家の警備を担当する護衛２課に所属していた。
March 25, 2008
Mainichi
The 43-year-old officer was found dead on a road outside the apartment block where he lived at about 5:25 a.m. on Tuesday. A note saying, "I'm tired," was found in the superintendent's home, leading police to suspect that he committed suicide. They are investigating possible motives.
NPA officials said that the superintendent was hired by the Imperial Guard, and from March 14 he had been assigned to a division specializing in international terrorism countermeasures.
"He had just been transferred, and we can't think of any worries or trouble with work he might have had," an NPA representative said.
In the Imperial Guard, the superintendent had belonged to the No. 2 protection division in charge of guarding the crown prince and his family.
自殺：警察庁警視がマンションから飛び降りか 川崎
２５日午前５時２５分ごろ川崎市麻生区のマンション前路上で、同マンションに住む警察庁警視の男性（４３）が倒れているのが見つかった。自宅からは「疲れた」などと書かれた遺書が見つかっており、神奈川県警麻生署は飛び降り自殺とみて動機を調べている。
同庁によると警視は皇宮警察の採用で、今月１４日付で、同庁警備局国際テロリズム対策課に異動になった。同庁は「異動したばかりで、仕事上のトラブルや悩みは思い当たらない」としている。警視は皇宮警察では、皇太子ご一家の警備を担当する護衛２課に所属していた。
March 25, 2008
Mainichi
Officer runs afoul of Copyright Law
03/25/2008
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
FUKUOKA--Prefectural police here Monday referred to prosecutors the case of an officer suspected of infringing on a map publisher's copyright through his use of Winny file-sharing software.
Police said the officer, who is 31 and from Hyogo Prefecture, made it possible for other Winny users to download map data created by the publisher.
Earlier this month, police seized the officer's personal computer.
A check showed that he had downloaded numerous maps created by Kita-Kyushu-based Zenrin Co.
The officer admitted during police questioning to downloading maps using Winny, saying he planned to use them for work. He also said he was aware that his actions were illegal, according to sources.
Because Winny allows direct receiving and sending of coded data, rather than going through a server, it is usually difficult to pinpoint illegal users.
But the prefectural police used their own system to identify the officer in question.
In March 2006, the National Police Agency instructed police departments around the country to make sure that staff were aware of a new ban on using Winny software, which automatically makes data available to other Winny users after a person has repeatedly downloaded particular data.
Downloading data, music for instance, for personal use is not prohibited.
The officer's personal computer also stored other data that he likely obtained via Winny, the sources said.
The first arrest concerning possible Copyright Law violations over the Winny program occurred in November 2003 when the Kyoto prefectural police arrested two men for allegedly making movie images and video game software available.
In May 2004, the Kyoto prefectural police arrested the creator of Winny for helping others to violate the law.
The former teaching assistant at the University of Tokyo was found guilty by the Kyoto District Court in December 2006.
He is currently appealing the decision at the Osaka High Court.(IHT/Asahi: March 25,2008)
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
FUKUOKA--Prefectural police here Monday referred to prosecutors the case of an officer suspected of infringing on a map publisher's copyright through his use of Winny file-sharing software.
Police said the officer, who is 31 and from Hyogo Prefecture, made it possible for other Winny users to download map data created by the publisher.
Earlier this month, police seized the officer's personal computer.
A check showed that he had downloaded numerous maps created by Kita-Kyushu-based Zenrin Co.
The officer admitted during police questioning to downloading maps using Winny, saying he planned to use them for work. He also said he was aware that his actions were illegal, according to sources.
Because Winny allows direct receiving and sending of coded data, rather than going through a server, it is usually difficult to pinpoint illegal users.
But the prefectural police used their own system to identify the officer in question.
In March 2006, the National Police Agency instructed police departments around the country to make sure that staff were aware of a new ban on using Winny software, which automatically makes data available to other Winny users after a person has repeatedly downloaded particular data.
Downloading data, music for instance, for personal use is not prohibited.
The officer's personal computer also stored other data that he likely obtained via Winny, the sources said.
The first arrest concerning possible Copyright Law violations over the Winny program occurred in November 2003 when the Kyoto prefectural police arrested two men for allegedly making movie images and video game software available.
In May 2004, the Kyoto prefectural police arrested the creator of Winny for helping others to violate the law.
The former teaching assistant at the University of Tokyo was found guilty by the Kyoto District Court in December 2006.
He is currently appealing the decision at the Osaka High Court.(IHT/Asahi: March 25,2008)
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