Overview
- The prefecture-appointed panel of three lawyers concluded Tatsuji Sugimoto’s conduct constituted sexual harassment, documenting about 1,000 explicit LINE and email messages.
- Investigators deemed multiple accounts of physical contact credible, including thigh touching, entangling a woman’s legs at a reception, and reaching into a skirt after a meal.
- The report said possible violations of the Stalker Regulation Act or the criminal offense of non-consensual indecency could not be ruled out.
- The inquiry surveyed roughly 6,000 employees outside the teaching and police corps and found incidents spanning from 2007 through Sugimoto’s 2025 resignation.
- Vice Governor Mio Washizu apologized, vowed to shield victims from further harm or online attacks, and the panel urged reforms including banning private messaging for official contact, expanded training, and stronger consultation channels.