Japanese police plan to investigate the death in Bangkok of a Japanese journalist who was shot April 10 while covering clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in the Thai capital, according to investigative sources.

Hiroyuki Muramoto, 43, who worked for Reuters for more than 15 years, was shot while covering fighting in Bangkok, when Thai soldiers fired rubber bullets into crowds and live ammunition in the air to dislodge protesters from encampments in the capital.

The army has accused protesters of firing live rounds and throwing grenades. Thailand's government said four soldiers and 16 civilians, including Muramoto, have died in the worst violence in Bangkok since more than four dozen people were killed in an antimilitary protest in 1992.

The Metropolitan Police Department intends to apply the Penal Code's provision that allows Japanese police to investigate certain criminal incidents that occur abroad, the sources said.