Miyagi Gov. Shiro Asano is at odds with prefectural police over the disclosure of financial rewards supposedly paid to informers in criminal cases.
Earlier this month, Asano requested interviews with rank-and-file officers of the Miyagi Prefectural Police to look into the way such money is used, amid public criticism that the funds are being spent in nontransparent ways.
However, top officials of the prefectural police remain reluctant, saying they will study the request to see if the governor has the legal power to directly investigate internal police matters.
The dispute was set off by a lawsuit filed by an ombudsman group urging the prefecture to disclose documents over the use of money paid by the Miyagi police as reward to people cooperating with criminal investigations.