Fukui Pref. Confirms Sexual Harassment by Ex-Gov.

Fukui, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–The Fukui prefectural government, in a report released Wednesday, confirmed former Governor Tatsuji Sugimoto’s sexual harassment against a female worker and other victims. “It is evident that Sugimoto’s words and actions in question were acts of sexual harassment,” said the report, drawn up by three lawyers designated by the central Japan prefectural government as special investigators. Also suggesting the possibility of the 63-year-old previous governor committing indecent assault, it noted that Sugimoto still bears a grave responsibility even after his resignation last month. “I deeply apologize to the victims and sincerely apologize for causing great disappointment and anxiety among people in the prefecture and employees of the local government,” Fukui Vice Governor Mio Washizu told a press conference at the prefectural government’s headquarters. Describing Sugimoto’s acts as persistent and long-running, Washizu said, “I cannot help but feel strong resentment.” The special investigators, appointed in the wake of the female employee filing a harassment complaint through an external channel, launched their probe in September last year. The lawyers were able to receive concrete statements and evidence from the whistle-blower and three other workers at the local government. They also had Sugimoto text them to explain his thoughts. As a result, his acts of sexual harassment against the four employees were confirmed. According to the report, Sugimoto conducted sexual harassment from 2007, after coming back to the internal affairs ministry from the prefectural government, where he had served as general affairs division chief for some three years since 2004. He returned to Fukui as vice governor in 2013 and was elected governor for the first time in 2019 after retiring from the ministry the previous year. His misbehavior was attested by, among others, about 1,000 text messages he sent to the victims, such as “I’m gonna kiss you” and “Do you like something horny?” Besides, Sugimoto was found to have made physical contacts in three cases, including touching a female subordinate’s thigh. This indicates that he committed molestation, an act of sexual assault, in violation of the Penal Code, the report pointed out. Although he claimed that he had no intention of doing sexual harassment when texting and that he did not touch female employees’ bodies on purpose, the investigators dismissed his excuses as untrustworthy. The Fukui government, however, ruled out the possibility of immediately filing a criminal complaint against Sugimoto, saying that it has yet to be known if the victims want the action. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]