Hokkaido employee suspected of harassing intern student with repeated LINE messages
In short
A male Hokkaido government employee is suspected of repeatedly sending inappropriate messages, including pressing for a relationship and inviting her to meals, to a female student who took part in a Hokkaido-run internship. Mainichi Shimbun reported the matter on 20 October, and Hokkaido is considering disciplining him. As of 20 October he had not been disciplined.
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A male Hokkaido government employee is suspected of repeatedly sending inappropriate messages to a female student who took part in an internship run by Hokkaido, including pressing her for a relationship and inviting her to meals. Mainichi Shimbun reported that the matter came to light on 20 October through its reporting. Hokkaido is considering disciplining the man because the conduct may amount to sexual harassment. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
According to the Hokkaido personnel division, the internship was held in August and September for university students and others wishing to work for Hokkaido. It ran as four sessions of five days each, with 291 participants in total. The man was in charge of guiding the students who took part in the internship in his bureau. [ 1 , 2 ]
Yahoo! News Japan, carrying the Mainichi report, said the man exchanged LINE contact details with a female student who took part in the August internship. He sent her messages and invited her to meals. She declined, but he reportedly continued to contact her. TBS's headline said the messages included remarks such as calling her cute and asking whether he could call her by her first name. [ 2 , 3 ]
The problem came to light when the student consulted the responsible Hokkaido bureau. Hokkaido apologized to her and removed the man from internship duties. Hokkaido said it is investigating the facts and, as of 20 October, had not disciplined him. The report said the man largely admits his conduct toward the student. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
A Hokkaido personnel division official told Mainichi the conduct betrayed the expectations of the students who took part and said Hokkaido would work to prevent a recurrence. Nippon TV said the man repeatedly sent inappropriate messages to students who took part from August to September, and that the matter came to light after a student raised it during the internship period. [ 2 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The case concerns conduct by a government employee toward a student who wished to work for Hokkaido, and a Hokkaido personnel division official said it would work to prevent a recurrence. The documents do not say what discipline, if any, will follow.
Key facts
- Mainichi Shimbun reported that a male Hokkaido employee repeatedly sent inappropriate contact, including pressing for a relationship, to a female student at a Hokkaido-run internship. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The internship ran in August and September for university students wishing to work for Hokkaido, in four five-day sessions with 291 participants in total. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The employee was in charge of guiding students who took part in the internship in his bureau. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- He exchanged LINE contact details with a female student from the August internship, messaged her and invited her to meals; she declined, but he kept contacting her. [ 2 ]
- The student consulted the responsible Hokkaido bureau, which brought the matter to light. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Hokkaido apologized to the student and removed the employee from internship duties. [ 2 ]
- Hokkaido said it is investigating the facts and is considering disciplining the employee; as of 20 October he had not been disciplined. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A Hokkaido employee who guided internship students repeatedly sent inappropriate contact, including inviting a student to meals, according to Mainichi, Yahoo! News Japan, TBS and Nippon TV. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Hokkaido is considering disciplining the employee because the conduct may amount to sexual harassment. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The matter came to light after the student raised it with Hokkaido. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- How many students received the messages. Mainichi and Yahoo! News Japan describe one female student, while Nippon TV refers to students who took part from August to September.
- When the student consulted Hokkaido. Nippon TV says the student raised it during the internship period; the other documents do not give the timing.
- What discipline the employee will face. Hokkaido is considering it, and said he had not been disciplined as of 20 October.
- Whether the employee admits the conduct. Yahoo! News Japan, carrying the Mainichi report, says he largely admits it, but no other document says so.
- Hokkaido said it is investigating the facts. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Mainichi Shimbun published its report on 21 October, saying the matter came to light on 20 October through its reporting. [ 1 ]
- Yahoo! News Japan carried the Mainichi report on 21 October. [ 2 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG published its report on 21 October. [ 3 ]
- Nippon TV News published its report on 22 October. [ 4 ]