The Saga District Prosecutors have indicted Tomohiro Tominaga, a former chief investigator at the Saga Prefectural Police's scientific investigation laboratory, for committing acts of falsification and evidence destruction in relation to DNA testing between August 2023 and July 2024. Tominaga, who was previously dismissed from his position, allegedly submitted false documents claiming that he had conducted DNA analysis when, in reality, he had not performed any testing during that period. Furthermore, he is accused of attempting to conceal the loss of evidence, including fabricating samples of gauze as part of his efforts to mislead his superiors.

The investigation revealed that Tominaga, hired in 2012, had been involved in 632 instances of DNA testing, of which 130 cases from 2017 onwards showed inappropriate behavior. Are deemed particularly egregious, leading to appearances in court. This scandal has raised alarm about the integrity of forensic processes within Japan’s investigative system and has prompted the National Police Agency to conduct special inspections of the Saga Prefectural Police since October, which have already resulted in two interim reports.

The implications of this case are significant as it not only highlights serious flaws in forensic procedures but also questions the reliability of evidence presented in legal cases. The fallout from this scandal may necessitate widespread reforms in how forensic investigations are conducted and overseen in Japan, as public trust in the judicial processes could be severely undermined if such fraudulent activities continue unchecked.