A 22-year-old riot squad police officer died Wednesday from severe head wounds caused by a gunshot, with all evidence suggesting the man took his own life, police said Thursday.
Police said a gunshot was heard just before 8 a.m. Wednesday, and Masaya Kojima, 22, was found bleeding from his head in a toilet cubicle on the third floor of riot police facilities in Chofu City. A gun was found by his side and the toilet cubicle was locked from the inside. Kojima was taken to hospital but was confirmed dead shortly after arrival.
Police said Kojima was preparing for his shift which started at 8.30 a.m. and went through until the next morning, and had loaded his gun with five rounds at 7.45 a.m. under the supervision of his unit leader.
Katsunobu Ishizuka, head of the 7th division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Riot Police, expressed his deep remorse at the officer’s death and pledged to prevent a similar occurrence from happening.
Kojima began working for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in May of 2005, and was transferred to the 7th division of the riot squad in September last year.
© News reports
34 Comments
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gaijinsensei
All those people have been hurt by this. And all because of the old mentality that you suck up your pride and deal with the issues. That's 1960's America. That's one of the reasons my Uncle committed suicide because he was raised with the notion that men have to be strong, and if there' a problem you keep it bottled up inside. We know now that there are huge psychological ramifications if someone does that...what I don't understand is why the Japanese haven't caught on to that. The more this culture continues to push their citizens to accept without question, the more their suicide rate will continue to rise.
I'm a teacher and it pains me to think that with the rate in this country, some of my students will commit suicide in the future. I don't want them thinking that the future is so bleak that the only way to go is out.
bushlover
Good on him for choosing only himself and no one else. May he rest in peace and I respect his decision to not hurt others. He kept it personal and deserves that respect. His reasons I cannot contemplate but it was his choice.
doombird
Polishing his loaded gun while it was pointed directly at his head? If that was the accident, it might as well be billed as suicide.
usaexpat
I wonder why at 22 he thought suicide was the only way out?
sharky1
Statistics show that most domestic accidental shootings occur in the bathroom. He was probably polishing his gun, and it accidentally discharged.
bobbafett
he could have accidentally cocked his gun.
presto345
I hate stupid questions like this. As if Japan means a country with people who lack rational thinking. It's more the people who pose these questions intended as statements who lack the rational thinking.
Wakarimasen
ialwavs, you sound like someone who understands why this cop would kill himself. Angry, eh?
Wakarimasen
For those who say "What a waste" or "sad end to short life" or similar.... How do you know? He cpuld have been a loser. Or a bully himself. Or one of many other things. He may have offed himself 'cause he couldn't face up to how awful he was. Or how crappy life on a cop's salary in Chofu City could be.
Apsara
To the person who asked why Japan needs armed riot police needs to read some recent Japanese history. Maybe hard to imagine now, but there were quite a few very violent protests in the last 60s and early 70s and there's no reason that kind of thing couldn't happen again.
NuckinFutz
I love Japanese headlines! Just what part of the body is the toilet?
norinrad21
you just described 1984
Dennis Bauer
shouganaika by doing nothing i guess
nath
Age 20 is when a Japanese can become an adult. Kind of odd that they let kids become officers and carry guns. On coming of age day, did he wear a kimono?
norinrad21
I hope he finally found what he was looking for, though its a tragic way to go
jalways
Who wants to make real news and become the first foreign cop? The requirements are very difficult to become a Jap-cop if you are a foreigner. I know you have to give up your citizenship, read and write kanji just to name the very lease few. But, as many are wondering why would you make this public for the citizens to see. Is Japan so corrupt that our men on the front line needs to be employed with a gun to die by the gun. I’ve said this many times and will say it again. This country and its moral issues must top my list of spit on the ground and filthy and a true disgrace for our future generation. No wonder all you Japs sleep on the train and look at the ground when you walk and sit. Where’s the energy? “WAKE UP”! I’ve never lived in a place that ever other person looks completely miserable and domestically disturbed. And, what will the government do? Nothing… 33,000 plus suicides last year. Maybe you can beat that number this year. What they don’t tell us is close to a million people received treatment for their attempt to commit suicide last year. So if we did the math and every person succeeded Japan would have had over a million that committed suicide. R.I.H. Japan, cause that’s where you belong. Now JT who will die tomorrow? I will wait to hear from you than. Good-bye!
medievaltimes
How?
scoobydoo
When will Japan realise how selfish suicide is??
30061015
Obviously he didn't get accepted into the group.
How? The only way to prevent "similar occurrence" is to issue empty guns to the officers.
bamboohat
started at 18.Fresh from H.S. University wasn't an option for whatever reason. believed what he was told his whole life that to be a good japaense is to finish school and get a job, then marriage, then kids, then retirment. After four and half years he decided it just wasn't for him. So sad to not have any options, and think this is the only way out. The relative few that take this way out are the tip of the iceberg of the many that are suffering in silence, thinking that all they are meant to be in life is a voiceless mindless cog in a giant uncaring machine.
2muchfun
so a child can have a badge, that not something I think is a good idea, 22 still means unstable thought process, to bad for him but at that age police work is not a smart idea, but then neither is military. This article really does not say much, what where the underlying reasons, I would figure that Riot level police would mean he is a cable person, with physical attributes to deal with that kind of work.
Disillusioned
Where does it mention a shotgun? If he shot himself in the head with a shotgun they would have been scraping his head off the walls.
Considering the frequency of J-cops using their guns to off themselves (3 or 4 a year) it may be a wise choice for the J-cops to follow the example of countries like, New Zealand and England to not give cops guns in the first place. However, I fear it may just make them find more creative ways of offing themselves.
Smythe
Fortunatly really very little if any in the police of RCMP ranks, but a number of city police officers have an AD in a public washroom or two. Possibly a slight problem of using the washrooms & also having a h/gun.
cleo
They recruit high school graduates. The training is longer and the pay is lower than for a university graduate, and the promotion ladder seems to be tilted at a lower angle.
Spidey
How do you join the police when you are 18?
Simply apply. Prerequisites not necessary.
S
LikingJapan
How do you join the police when you are 18?
DJJapan
It seems as though the police here use guns more on themselves than on criminals.
techall
justmeinto: Shotgun....many pellets....many wounds.
Another perminent solution to a temporary problem.
justmeinto
Story is a bit unclear, it talks of head wounds, is this to imply that he shot himself more than once, or are they talking of entrance and exit wounds?
Regardless, a sad end to a young life.
nath
That. Settles. That.
tmarie
When will Japan realise how selfish suicide is??
kwatt
Poor guy, There has lately been large number that young policemen commit suicide with handgun. I've heard deepshit bullyings among fellows or by ranking status.
timorborder
What a waste, punching out at 22 years old.
shouganaika
how's he going to do that I wonder?