Hokkaido police scandal exposed: police and

The photo appears harmless, capturing three people – a woman and two men – posing intimately. The woman, her face half hidden by her e-cigarette, appears embarrassed by the attention. In contrast, the men beside her are grinning unabashedly, seemingly reveling in their camaraderie. While it all seems harmless enough, the photo has become the focus of a scandal that has shaken the Asahikawa Police Department to its foundations.

Asahikawa murder case

The scandal can be traced back to Murder Earlier this year, an earthquake struck Asahikawa, Hokkaido. AprilUchida Riko, 21, and her 19-year-old accomplice lured 17-year-old high school girl Ryuna Murayama into an abuse trap. What started as a petty online dispute turned into a nightmare: the victim was locked in a car, beaten mercilessly, and dragged to the Kamui Kotan Bridge. There, the terrified girl fell to her death as her torturers taunted her with shouts of “fall down” and “die.”

Uchida shot a video on her smartphone that captured the ultimate humiliation of the victim. She was forced to strip naked and kneel down. Uchida was nonchalant about the allegations against her: “I don’t know if the girl fell off the bridge,” she said. “I just left her there.”

Uchida is charged July 3 was convicted of kidnapping, beating and killing the girl. His 19-year-old accomplice was later charged August 2 for murder and other charges related to the victim’s death.

The brutality of the crime caused an uproar in the community, prompting the Hokkaido Prefectural Police to launch an investigation. However, behind the investigation lay a series of misconduct by Officer Ashikawa that could constitute a crime, including allegedly going out partying with Uchida before her arrest.

Party with murderers

These unknown details were revealed by Kazuyuki Kishimoto, head of the Asahikawa branch of the Association of Parents and Youth Protection and director of the NPO Hokkaido Rescue Consultation Center. Kishimoto, who also runs the SP Detective Agency in Asahikawa, found evidence of an “inappropriate relationship” between Uchida and a detective at the Asahikawa Central Police Station.

“My investigation revealed that in January of this year, officers from the Organized Crime Countermeasures Section 2, including Inspectors X and Y and Detective Z, drank with Uchida at a karaoke bar in Asahikawa. This was no innocent gathering – it was their New Year’s party, which turned into a raucous, alcohol-filled gathering with dozens of attendees. Uchida happened to be there with a friend and soon mingled with Inspector X and the others,” Kishimoto told Weekly Modern.

The woman in the photo wearing camouflage clothes and holding an e-cigarette is Uchida, and next to her are Detective Z and Inspector X.

“Their relationship did not end that night,” Kishimoto added. “They continued to have drinking parties in Asahikawa, and these gatherings were not one-offs.”

Scandal with the Killer

July 11th issue Weekly Bunshun The scandalous affair between Officer X, a married man, and Uchida is revealed. The impact is both disturbing and shocking. If the secret had not been revealed, Officer X might have been involved in the investigation. The Hokkaido police are busy controlling the consequences and hastily strip him of his detective duties.

“This discovery is shocking.” wrote one Wenshun reporter. “Uchida had been arrested several times, and during one interrogation, she confessed, ‘I had an affair with so-and-so at the Central Police Station.’ The police confiscated Uchida’s cell phone and checked its contents, confirming the affair and prompting the Hokkaido Police Inspectorate to launch an investigation.”

Violation of minors

The scandal didn’t end there, however. The drinking parties organized by Detective X weren’t limited to Uchida alone. She also had underage friends among her. Kishimoto’s investigation revealed that Detective X reportedly knew that one of Uchida’s friends was underage but allowed her to drink anyway.

“This is not an issue that can be simply dealt with with ‘we don’t know her age.’ Officer X had previously questioned this minor in another case and he should have been fully aware of her age,” Kishimoto told News No.7“Despite this, he did nothing to stop her from drinking.”

The situation took a more sinister turn when it was revealed that the police officers involved in the scandal had tried to cover up their misconduct.

“Officer X’s actions raised concerns among police, prompting an internal police investigation. In response, his colleagues urged others to remain silent about drinking with minors — a clear attempt to cover up the facts. If true, this behavior is completely unacceptable for law enforcement officers,” Kishimoto told News No.7.

Referring to another photo, he added: “This photo shows Officer X standing at the counter. The woman with her back to the camera is Uchida, and her underage friends can be seen in the background. Look how much fun they are having. Now we know that the murderer and the police are a pair. There are even testimonies that the two disappeared from the bar while others continued to drink. However, Officer X is not the only officer at the Asahikawa Central Police Station who has behaved suspiciously.”

Kishimoto added: “Detectives Y and Z knew that Uchida was underage, yet they shamelessly flirted with her. They are supposed to be law enforcement officers, but here they are molesting a child. This is not some cheap joke. This is disgusting predatory behavior.”

Drunken revelry

The officers were also heavily criticised for their drinking behaviour.

“The way they drank was so disgraceful that they made a mess of the bar. Some officers took off their shirts and helped themselves to beer and wine that were not included in the all-you-can-drink package behind the counter. One even drank directly from a bottle. Another left the beer tap running, causing beer to flood the floor, while others cooked udon noodles in the kitchen without permission. They were completely out of control,” Kishimoto told News No.7.

A system beyond repair

As the dust settles on the Asahikawa incident, we are forced to ponder a question: How deep does corruption run within the police force? When those sworn to uphold the law choose to break it, not just in moments of weakness but with recklessness, blurring the lines between protectors and perpetrators, the fabric of trust unravels. The image of the police toasting with the murderer is more than a snapshot—it’s a damning indictment of a system that seems more interested in covering its tracks than delivering justice.

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