Once in a great while, we witness a news conference that leaves an indelible mark on history.

They are the rare occasions that yield words so deeply etched in public memory that they shape the thinking of later generations.

One such moment came in 1985, when Shigeki Ito (1925–1988), revered as "Mr. Public Prosecutor," faced reporters upon assuming the post of prosecutor-general.

At that news conference, which has since passed into legend, Ito set out three articles of faith for the profession: Do not let the wicked sleep. Weep with the victims. Tell no lies.

Decades on, these words remain a moral compass that many of this country's........

© The Asahi Shimbun