NHK Apologizes for Improper Response to Sexually Assaulted Worker

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan Broadcasting Corp. President Tatsuhiko Inoue has apologized for the public broadcaster’s failure to allow an employee who was sexually assaulted by a cast member in one of its programs to work in another department after a leave of absence. “We deeply regret the sexual assault and sincerely apologize for our inappropriate response,” the chief of the broadcaster, better known as NHK, said in a statement Wednesday. The incident was revealed in a report from an investigation committee of outside experts set up by NHK. The broadcaster has not disclosed the gender of the employee or the program cast member, and when the sexual assault occurred. According to NHK, the employee suffered the sexual assault after a party with the program participant and others. The employee took a leave of absence later and reported the assault a year and several months after the incident. The employee asked for a transfer to another department. But NHK’s personnel affairs department turned down the request, citing its policy mandating employees to return to work at their original departments after a leave of absence in principle. The employee, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder linked to the sexual assault, was eventually transferred about three years after the incident. Doctors had called for allowing the employee to work at a department other than the person’s original department after the leave. The investigation committee pointed out that sticking to the principles had become a goal at NHK. It called on NHK to clarify a department in charge of systematically handling cases in which employees suffer acts of human rights violations from people outside the broadcaster as well as the department’s roles and functions, and to make the system known among its staff. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]