TOKYO (TR) – The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office last year indicted a male captain with All Nippon Airways (ANA) on over an alleged indecent assault incident involving a cabin attendant, it has been learned, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (Mar. 25).
According to the indictment, the unnamed captain, aged in his 40s, allegedly committed indecent acts on the cabin attendant, including repeatedly touching her buttocks over her clothing early one morning in October 2023.
Prosecutors allege that he made difficult for her to express her refusal by making her fear that his influence as a captain would negatively impact her work.
In March 2025, the male captain was indicted while out of custody on suspicion of indecent assault without consent on the grounds that his actions constituted exploitation of “differences in social statuses.”
Refusal was difficult
Indecent assault without consent punishes indecent acts committed without consent in a state where the victim is in a state where resistance is extremely difficult, both psychologically and physically.
The penalty is imprisonment of six months to ten years. Prosecutors determined that the cabin attendant was in a state where refusal was difficult under the captain’s influence.
In response to questions from the Mainichi Shimbun regarding the captain’s conduct, ANA stated, “We conducted an internal investigation, including interviewing those involved. We confirmed that a flight crew member had sexually harassed a cabin crew member after work in the past, and we have taken strict disciplinary action.”
Citing “the prevention of secondary victimization,” ANA did not disclose whether the captain admitted or denied the allegations. It also did not specific details of the disciplinary action.
According to ANA, as of April 1, 2025, there were 1,517 captains on staff. Prior to the incident, a harassment prevention training program had been implemented for all employees. The captain who was indicted while out of custody had also participated in it.
ANA commented, “Harassment is an unacceptable act, and we will continue to thoroughly implement measures to prevent recurrence.”
