Central Japan Councillor ‘Harassed’ Australian Mayor’s Daughter; Lewd Behavior Alleged At Sister-City Event

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:15 JST, May 9, 2024

Norio Nagata, the vice chairman of the Minokamo city council in Gifu Prefecture, was accused of sexually harassing the daughter of the mayor of Dubbo, Australia, which is Minokamo’s sister city, it has been learned. The incident allegedly occurred at an after-party for the mayor and other guests from Dubbo in April.

Nagata, 71, denied any intention of sexual harassment when interviewed, but Minokamo Mayor Hiroto Fujii sent an apologetic email to the city of Dubbo, stating that Nagata had “made [the Dubbo mayor’s daughter] feel very uncomfortable.”

According to the city officials and others, a 12-member delegation, including Dubbo Mayor Mathew Dickerson, his family and city staff, visited Minokamo from April 2. During an after-party held at a restaurant on the evening of April 3, as Nagata sang karaoke and danced, he postured so as to point a microphone at the lower half of the mayor’s daughter’s body.

Nagata said he had no intention of harassing the daughter but had lost his balance. “I apologize if anything that happened gave the wrong impression,” he said.

Minokamo officials reviewed video footage of the incident and determined that the conduct “merited an apology.”