Photo/Illutration Ryuji Kimura, a suspect in the 2023 bombing attack on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is brought to the Wakayama District Public Prosecutors Office on May 8, 2023. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Once upon a time, everybody tuned into the TV detective drama series “Taiyo ni Hoero!” (literally, “Roar at the sun”) every Friday.

This vastly popular prime time show aired from 1972 to 1986 with 718 episodes, registering a viewer rating of 40 percent at its zenith.

For us kids, all the cops at the fictional Nanamagari Police Station were veritable heroes.

Detective “Macaroni,” played by Kenichi Hagiwara (nicknamed Shoken), would mutter with a wistful frown on his face, “Looks like Boss is hardly the type to go up the totem pole.”

Detective “Jiipan” (blue jeans) was always dashing around, his lips pursed. And there was the kindhearted Gori-san, who did not want to load his service gun.

In retrospect, they were really cool but also rogue enough at times to come close to breaking the law—like yelling, losing it and arresting suspects without a warrant.

Perhaps it was the zeitgeist of the Showa Era (1926-1989) that permitted such behavior, if criminals were to be caught and brought to justice.

Human rights awareness changes with the times. But how about this case?

A prosecutor with the Wakayama District Public Prosecutors Office has been found to have acted quite improperly in interrogating the suspect of the 2023 bombing attack against then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

In what could constitute a violation of the suspect’s right to remain silent, the prosecutor kept insulting and baiting the suspect.

“Someone like you, a shut-in, is hardly appreciated at all” and “We know you weren’t a smart kid in school … but your pretending to understand things is so ludicrous as to be really cute” were part of the outbursts.

Reading these recorded words, I had an indescribable feeling, probably because I sensed something akin to outright bullying. With this kind of interrogation, how could anyone hope to draw any meaningful response from the suspect?

To go back to the Showa-Era detective drama, the highlights of interrogation scenes at the Nanamagari Police Station were truly awesome because of Yama-san’s intelligence, Cho-san’s passion and Boss’ humanity.

I know drama and reality are different. Still, I wish law enforcement officers would always take the high road like in that TV series.

—The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 29

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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