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The scandal unfolding within the Kanagawa Prefectural Police is far more than a simple case of bureaucratic misconduct. The revelation that officers allegedly falsified tracking distances and inspection reports for approximately 2,700 traffic violations strikes at the very foundation of public trust in the justice system. When the enforcers of the law become its breakers, the damage is profound and long-lasting. At first glance, the motive is almost insulting in its banality.

On the streets of Tokyo Japan, a scene is repeated regularly during election campaign periods: politicians appear in public spaces to...