Japan withdraws envoy over sexual harassment charge

World

Japan withdraws envoy over sexual harassment charge

Close

Ambassador Yoshio Tamura has been accused of touching a young Croatian woman.

10 December,2011 11:03 am

Japan will replace its ambassador to Croatia by the end of the year after he became embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal, Japanese reports said.Ambassador Yoshio Tamura has been accused of touching a young Croatian woman newly employed by the Japanese embassy in April 2010 as they were seated in the back seat of a car while on official business, Japans Kyodo News said Friday.He has denied the allegation, it said.Tamura, named ambassador to Croatia in March 2009, is suspected of other inappropriate actions that could be viewed as sexual harassment, reports said.The foreign ministry decided to replace him after conducting its own investigation, Jiji Press reported.Tamura had previously been an official at the finance ministry and served as deputy environment minister.