On October 5th local time, a live video of the Japanese Parliament sparked intense discussion among Japanese netizens.
The video shows that inside the Japanese Senate, senators were walking into the chamber. Mieko Nakagiri, an 80-year-old senator from the ruling party, the New Party, used a paper stick made from materials in her hand to pat the waist and buttocks of Matsuno Akiho, a 58-year-old female senator from the same party, who was walking ahead. This incident sparked controversy regarding potential sexual harassment in the workplace.
According to Japanese media reports, Japanese television stations captured the entire process during the live broadcast on the day of the 222nd session of the provisional Diet. Due to being close to the microphone, a loud 'snap' sound could be clearly heard during the live broadcast. Matsuno then stopped in his tracks and spoke briefly with Nakata Kiyoshi, but the content of their conversation remains unknown.
Although some Japanese media have analyzed that both are members of the same party who were elected for the first time in 2022, and their relationships may be quite close on a daily basis, according to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's guidelines on preventing harassment, even physical contact intended to show closeness falls under the category of sexual harassment that should be regulated.
Chūjō Kiyō and Matsuo Akihime
As the video clip spread online, Japanese public opinion quickly turned hostile. The official account of the Japanese labor union "National Federation of Trade Unions" posted a statement criticizing this incident harshly: "This scene is shocking. A man is hitting the buttocks of women whom he considers to be of lower status. This is an extremely typical case of sexual harassment, workplace harassment, and violence."
Many netizens also criticized Nakao Kiyoshi for not distinguishing between public and private matters. He engaged in highly disrespectful physical contact with women within the national parliament. Some even demanded that he resign for his actions.
Facing public pressure, Matsunaka posted on X on the evening of the 5th, trying to downplay the matter in a joking manner: “Oh, it was caught? Before watching the video, I didn’t even notice.” However, this indifferent attitude only further angered the Japanese people.
It was pointed out that as members of parliament representing the public, staying silent or tolerating harassment in public settings can send the wrong message to society—that women can be treated lightly. This could create a negative example for the workplace environment for Japanese women.
As of now, Nakao Kiyo has not made any public comments or apologizes regarding this matter. It is worth noting that his political reputation has been poor. As a person who transitioned from the entertainment industry to politics, Nakao Kiyo was elected as a senator in 2022. Although he has not faced similar public harassment allegations, he has been involved in numerous issues related to political and business ethics, as well as financial compliance issues. These include using government resources for personal purposes during congressional inquiries, and long-term delays in paying Japan's national pension (public pension).
