TOKYO (TR) – The Tokyo District Court has handed a suspended sentence to a 39-year-old section chief at the health ministry for stalking a female subordinate and using a duplicated key to break into her apartment to steal her underwear, reports NHK (June 30).
Takashi Takabayashi, an official at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, was charged with theft and violating the Anti-Stalking Act.
According to the court, Takabayashi began his harassment by showing up uninvited at the home of the victim, a woman in her 20s, in December of last year. The escalation culminated in March, when he used an illegally copied key to trespass into her residence and steal items, including her underwear.
During the trial, Takabayashi admitted to the charges. Prosecutors had sought a two-year prison sentence.
In handing down the ruling on Tuesday, presiding judge Shunichi Ido condemned the defendant’s actions. “Even after receiving guidance from workplace supervisors, he persistently sent messages and forced his way to her home,” the judge said. “It was a selfish crime based on one-sided feelings that threatened the safety and peace of mind of her private life.”
Despite the targeted harassment, Takabayashi avoided prison time. He was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for five years.
In explaining the suspended term, Judge Ido noted that an out-of-court settlement had already been reached, and the defendant has formally pledged never to approach the victim again.
