[1] Kurokawa was the top bureaucrat in the Justice Ministry during the investigation of Moritomo Gakuen, a private school that was embroiled in a scandal surrounding a purchase of land from the government.

Shukan Bunshun reported in December 2018 that Kurokawa helped to quash the investigation despite the top prosecutor in Osaka wanting to pursue indictment.

According to a Nikkei report, the government came to consider appointing both Kurokawa and Hayashi to one-year terms so that they could both serve as Prosecutor-General, but this would require an extension of the retirement age.

[6] The legislation had been publicly opposed in a Twitter campaign involving a number of Japanese celebrities, including Arata Irua, Tadanobu Asano, Sayaka Akimoto, Chica Umino, Kotobuki Shiriagari, and Kayoko Okubo.

"[7] The Asahi Shimbun reported that the Justice Ministry initially planned to issue a formal reprimand, but that the Cabinet decided to impose a lesser punishment.