Selfless cop's story made into children's book

The story of a police officer hit and killed by a train last year in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, while trying to rescue a woman on the train tracks has been turned into an illustrated book.

The commemorative publication will be offered at a memorial service in Tokyo on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the death of Kunihiko Miyamoto, 53, who was stationed at Tokiwadai Police Box of Itabashi Police Station.

The book, titled "Fushitezoyaman, Boku, Miyamoto Keibu Desu" (Fushitezoyaman, I'm Police Officer Miyamoto) was published by Hidenori Yamaguchi, president of Fukuoka-based Terakoya Moderu Co.

"Fushitezoyaman" means to do one's best and to continue onward until dropping from exhaustion.

"Miyamoto should serve as an exemplar for people in present-day Japan," he said.

Yamaguchi, who was employed by a general contractor, worked overseas for a long time. But upon returning to Japan he was stunned by children's lack of energy.

After quitting his company 10 years ago, he started an educational establishment modeled on temple schools from the Edo period (1603-1867). At the school, stories of great achievers are told and classical literature is recited to the children, their parents and company employees.

After learning of Miyamoto's death, Yamaguchi, 59, felt the police officer's story should be passed down to future generations.

With cooperation from the Metropolitan Police Department, he visited Miyamoto's bereaved family and his former police academy classmates in Tokyo and Sapporo.

Born in Sapporo, Miyamoto was not athletic, but he practiced late into the night to ensure a passing grade at kendo--one of the requirements for becoming a police officer.

And, up until he graduated from university, he delivered newspapers every day.

While most of his classmates wanted to be detectives or scientific investigators--glamorous positions that always attract policy academy graduates--Miyamoto said he wanted to work at a police box because he felt a calling to ensure safety in the community.

Written in the first-person, the book contains stories about Miyamoto, including the phone calls he made to mothers asking them to praise their children, who had returned lost goods.