Police have handed prosecutors the results of their probe into the case of a 64-year-old Okinawa village mayor who splashed "awamori" spirits into the face of a local assembly member, it was learned Monday.
According to investigative sources, the incident occurred at a gathering March 22, 2002.
An investigation determined that Kunigami Mayor Yasunari Uehara became angry during the event because a 65-year-old member of the opposition did not listen to his toast. The mayor threw a cupful of the local distilled spirit into the man's face.
Although other participants stopped the incident from going any further, the assembly member called police.
Uehara said he lost his temper when the assembly member scowled at him when he raised his glass and said "cheers," and that he regrets the incident.
Police said they had hoped the two sides would put the incident behind them during a cooling-off period, but the assembly member insisted that some sort of punishment be handed down.