TOKYO (TR) – A bureaucrat within the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has been suspended one month for sexually harassing a woman four years ago, reports Kyodo News (July 26).
In November, 2015, Tetsuo Yoshioka, 56, forcibly kissed the woman and fondled her chest inside a park.
Under the Civil Service Law, the acts carried out by Yoshioka are prohibited. Yoshioka admitted to the allegations, the ministry said.
At the time of the incident, Yoshioka was the deputy secretary for the cabinet secretariat. Until July 9, he was the director of the Kyushu branch of the ministry. He is now the government secretariat for the minister.
Prior the incident, Yoshioka took the woman to a restaurant to discuss business-related matters.
“We will work to prevent a recurrence by improving training regarding harassment for senior staff,” a representative of the ministry was quoted.
