Japan will survey prosecutors nationwide on sexual harassment
Japan's top prosecutors to launch a nationwide harassment survey following a sexual assault scandal involving the former head of the Osaka district office.
The supreme office issued related instructions to local prosecutor offices across the country last month and plans to compile a report by the end of fiscal 2026.
This was revealed by Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi at a press conference on Friday (June 5). "We are considering further concrete measures to improve the workplace environment," Hiraguchi said.
In the high-profile case, Kentaro Kitagawa, 66, is on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a female subordinate prosecutor.
In March, the female prosecutor submitted a petition to the justice minister and the prosecutor-general, requesting the launch of an independent investigative panel and a harassment survey covering all employees at prosecutor offices.
However, she resigned at the end of April, suggesting that her petition was ignored.
On Friday, she issued a statement arguing that a harassment survey by the top prosecutor's office is pointless and calling for a third-party committee to conduct a fair and neutral survey.
During the day's press conference, Hiraguchi noted that establishing a third-party committee could cause problems in terms of the independence of the judiciary, as Kitagawa's criminal trial is ongoing. "It requires extremely careful consideration," the minister said.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
