In this May 22, 2018 file photo, Nihon University American football club linebacker Taisuke Miyagawa appears at a news conference in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. (Mainichi)

TOKYO -- Prosecutors on Nov. 15 dropped criminal injury cases against two Nihon University (Nichidai) American football club coaches for their alleged role in a dirty tackle during a 2018 game that left an opposing quarterback badly hurt, citing insufficient evidence.

While the player who executed the tackle, Taisuke Miyagawa, now 21, had his indictment suspended, the Tokyo District Prosecutors Tachikawa branch dropped the criminal complaint against former head coach Masato Uchida, 64, and former assistant coach Tsutomu Inoue, 30.

The Tachikawa branch said that in the player's case, "An out-of-court settlement was reached with the victim." On the former coaches, it stated, "After investigating the exchanges between the three (including the player), it was decided that doubts remained around whether there was collusion with the player."

Based on the account given by the Tachikawa branch, Miyagawa tackled another player, then aged 19, during a May 2018 game between Nichidai and Kwansei Gakuin University. Miyagawa tackled the player from behind after the play was over in a deliberate attempt to cause harm. The Kwansei Gakuin quarterback was forced to take around a month out from the sport to recover from damage to ligaments in his back.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) ruled that they had found no clear instruction from the two coaching staff to physically hurt the other player, leading them to recommend the coaches not be prosecuted.

People connected to both universities and the collegiate football league have spoken out harshly against the decision. Mitsuhiro Katsumaru, a lawyer and chair of a third-party committee that Nichidai convened to uncover the facts in the tackle case, said, "As a member of the third-party committee, we investigated what happened and identified that instruction took place." He added, "Regardless of the decision not to prosecute, I want Nichidai to continue its reforms."

An individual connected to Nichidai said, "Even with the move not to prosecute, the university's decision to dismiss both the head and assistant coach will remain unchanged."

An alumnus of the university's American football club said, "It's clear that the player was forced into the tackle by the coaches. This decision does nothing to change the fact that they've sullied the image of this school. The coaches must be given no opportunity to return."

The Kantoh Collegiate American Football Association, of which Nichidai is a member, held an independent investigation resulting in the expulsion of the coaches. An association source said, "The prosecutors' decision criteria fundamentally differ from ours. Even though they (the coaches) will not been prosecuted, our handling of the matter will stay the same."

But Miyagawa, whose football association ban on appearing in games was lifted during the 2018 academic term, was still barred by his university club from playing until prosecutors had resolved his case. In response, Nichidai head coach Isao Hashizume said, "The conditions for (Miyagawa) to perform as an athlete have been fulfilled."

Hashizume also indicated that Miyagawa would see action in the league match between Nichidai and Yokohama National University on Nov. 17 at Aminovital Field in Chofu, Tokyo.

Through a legal representative, Miyagawa said, "Once again, I am very sorry for what happened." He continued, "I take seriously what happened and the punishment for it. I want to treat it as a lesson for the future."

The father of the injured Kwansei Gakuin player stated through his legal representatives, "I will refrain from commenting on the dismissal of the charges." Regarding Miyagawa, he was reported to have said, "Only a small amount of the season remains, but I want him to play with no regrets, and reflect on the joy that being able to play American football can bring."

The victim's father filed a criminal complaint against the Nichidai head and assistant coaches alleging criminal injury. But he also launched and sent a petition to the Tachikawa prosecutors calling for lenient treatment for Miyagawa.

Kwansei Gakuin University's American football club said, "We will refrain from comment, as we have not heard the reasons leading up to the decision based on the investigation (by the Public Prosecutors Office) and the details of what happened." It added, "We intend to put into practice what we have learned in this case, and continue to work even harder on health and safety at the club."

(Japanese original by Kotaro Adachi, Tama General Bureau; Akira Matsumoto, Tadashi Murakami and Yuta Kobayashi, Sports News Department; and Takuya Nagamune, Osaka Sports News Department)