Japanese media back despite Miura’s death

Japanese media thought that their coverage of the Kazuyoshi Miura case on Saipan which lasted nearly eight months was over when the Japanese businessman was finally flown to California early morning Friday.

Attorney Bruce Berline, one of Miura’s three counsels on the island, called his press briefing with the Japanese media last Sept. 29 a “farewell press conference” shortly after he informed the federal court that their client withdrew his petition for a writ of habeas corpus.

Both the Japanese media and Berline couldn’t believe they were facing each other once again across the table last Sunday for another press conference, this time over Miura’s apparent suicide.

Members of the Japanese media are back on the island to get reactions over Miura’s death in his detention cell less than 24 hours after he was escorted to Los Angeles.

Except for one reporter from Tokyo Broadcasting System Inc., most of the Japanese media personnel had either boarded the same plane that carried Miura to L.A. Friday or flew back Saturday to their respective assignments in Tokyo, Malaysia, Manila, and Hong Kong.

But when news broke out about Miura’s death Saturday night, Japanese media companies directed their staff to go back to Saipan to get reactions from assistant attorney general Jefferey Warfield Sr., lawyers Berline, Mark Hanson, William Fitzgerald, and Gov. Benigno R. Fitial.

Some media companies, however, decided to send new faces to the island because the previous staff were so tired of the coverage they did when Miura was taken Friday early morning from the Department of Corrections and brought to the Saipan airport.

A Japanese reporter from Tokyo Broadcasting System Inc. told Saipan Tribune yesterday that he was supposed to come back to Tokyo on Sunday, Oct. 12, but his company instructed him to remain on the island because of what happened in L.A.

The reporter said he has no idea until when his company wants him to stay on the island.

TBS crew members were seen yesterday afternoon filming a report in front of DOC.

During the press conference inside Berline’s office last Sunday, Japanese media present were from Kyodo News, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, TBS, and Nippon TV.

Yesterday morning, a Kyodo News reporter was seen interviewing chief prosecutor Kevin Lynch about Miura’s death. The reporter is set to leave the island today.

As to when the Japanese media would come back or when would Berline hold another press conference, no one can tell for sure.

“Remember, the Miura saga has been in the news since 1981 when the fatal shooting of his wife happened in L.A. I was still a small boy then,” one Japanese journalist said.