Miyagi Pref. Assembly Member Resigns; Caught Playing ‘Tsum Tsum’ during Session by Kids

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:47 JST, July 24, 2024

SENDAI — A 73-year-old town assembly member in Miyagi Prefecture resigned on Wednesday after elementary school students caught him playing a game on his smartphone while they watched a session last month.

Takahisa Sato was caught playing “Disney Tsum Tsum” on his smartphone under his desk during a preliminary assembly session in Ogawara, Miyagi Prefecture, on June 10. Local six-graders had been watching the session as part of their social studies class. Some of them wrote about Sato’s behavior in their essays following the visit.

On Wednesday, Sato submitted a resignation letter to the assembly president as a resolution urging him to do so was approved earlier that day. His resignation was accepted as of Wednesday.

“I sincerely apologize for doing something totally inappropriate as an assembly member,” said Sato after the day’s session closed.