In addition to being Japan's Constitution Day and the United Nations' Press Freedom Day, May 3 marked the 15th anniversary of the unsolved murder of Asahi Shimbun reporter Tomohiro Kojiri in Kobe.
These three commemorations were mentioned in the same paragraph in the Asahi's commentary about Kojiri's death, written by the managing editor of the Osaka head office. The statute of limitations ran out at midnight that day, and while the police have not arrested a suspect, a rightwing organization calling itself Sekihotai, which considers the newspaper's left-of-center viewpoint offensive and unpatriotic, has claimed responsibility.
In addition to the commentary and a profile of Sekihotai, the newspaper published an article by Kojiri's family and a message from the executive editor promising that the Asahi, despite the expiration, would pursue the case "without limitations." The pieces contained a lot of noble sentiments about a "free and open society" and an "unwavering" dedication to truth.