[sumo] Death at Tokitukaze beya - Time Line

[Jack Gartin]

Lon is dead-on about police investigations here.  According to two Japanese
cop friends I have, both sumo fans, they say it could take up to 6 months
for charges to be brought.  The police must go to the prosecutors with an
"air-tight" case before the prosecutors will bring charges.  Recall that the
conviction rates here are in the 90 + percentiles as a result both of
thorough (read: time-consuming) investigations as well as sometimes
questionable confessions.

There's no grand jury system here.  Police gather the evidence, prosecutors
bring the charges.  And MOST prosecutors are extremely cautious before they
charge anyone.  They don't like to be embarrassed by losing in court.

Recall that many murder cases (for those of you who read the
Japanese/English newspapers) can take months before the suspect is charged.
Then, it's usually less the result of evidence and, more, a confession from
the suspect rather than thorough police work.  Unless/Unless they have an
eye-witness willing to testify.  In this instance (I'm not sure about
prosecutorial immunity, my cop friends say it can happen - just no charges
are brought against the eye-witness) things can move faster.

IN any case, things will move slowly and ?thoughtfully? on this, so be
patient.

The Kyokai is much the same.  Japanese culture militates against singling
out someone for blame/censure/whatever until no other step is possible.
Westerners see it as "get 'im and get 'im NOW".  Japanese see it as "sit
back and wait for the culprit to realize his responsibility and take it".

Seems to me, in the latest reports, Tokitsukaze is nowhere near that stage
(take responsibility) and, at the moment, seems to be trying to blame his
rikishi for the whole thing.  It is unlikely the Kyokai will censure him
until such time as he 'accepts responsibility'.  Kitanoumi is trying to push
him in that direction - so we'll see how long that takes.

Regards
Tamagoyama