Overview

• The Tokyo District Court ruled that a ministry official's repeated groping at work and unwanted hugs on weekends amounted to sexual harassment incidental to his duties.
• It ordered the government to pay ¥2.5 million in damages under the State Compensation Act and dismissed the woman's claim against the individual employee.
• The plaintiff, who developed an adjustment disorder in 2022, had sought a total of ¥6 million from both the government and the male officer.
• Judge Ichiba Yasuhiro determined that the weekend incidents were linked to her work because she feared harming office relations if she refused outings.
• The Ministry of Defense said it will review the judgment and work with relevant bodies to implement effective harassment prevention measures.