Executive Accused of Assaulting Job Applicant After Alcohol Coercion

“I decide whether to hire you”

A man has been arrested on suspicion of committing indecent acts against a woman who came for a job interview, abusing his position as a company executive.

On April 10, the man who appeared at the transfer entrance of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Takinogawa Police Station was 46-year-old suspect Masayuki Hori, a former executive (resigned as of April 9) of a real estate management company headquartered in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo. Perhaps anticipating the presence of reporters, he walked with his head lowered, hiding his face behind his long bangs.

“According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the incident occurred last month at a company office in Kita Ward, Tokyo. The job interview with a woman in her 30s was conducted one-on-one from the morning. It was temporarily interrupted when a third party visited. The woman was told, ‘I’ll call you when the work is finished, so please wait nearby,’ and she waited at a nearby café.

About two hours later, she was contacted and returned to the office, where Hori told her, ‘I’m thirsty. Go buy some canned beer. You can get something you like to drink too.’ The woman felt uneasy about drinking during a job interview, but since she had already been asked to try on work clothes earlier that morning, she said, ‘I assumed I had been informally hired and followed his instructions,’” (national newspaper reporter)

Afterward, when the woman returned with canned beer and a canned chuhai for herself, Hori allegedly turned off the lights, locked the room, and kissed and touched her body. When she resisted, he reportedly continued, saying:

“There are other applicants. In the end, I decide who gets hired.”

After the interview ended, the woman called the police, and the incident came to light.

A similar case involving abuse of position is still fresh in memory: Shinji Saito (43), former member of “Jungle Pocket,” who is accused of sexually assaulting a woman inside a location bus during a TV shoot in July 2024 and is facing charges of non-consensual intercourse.

Additionally, film director Hideo Sakaki (55) was charged with quasi-rape for committing indecent acts against two actresses by abusing his position. In March this year, the Tokyo District Court sentenced him to eight years in prison (prosecutors had sought 10 years), calling it a malicious and despicable crime that seriously violated the women’s sexual autonomy. A similar ruling is expected in Saito’s case.

Regarding this latest incident, crime journalist Taihei Ogawa was asked for comment.

Highly premeditated and malicious

“It’s understandable that the victim believed she had been hired after being made to change into work clothes. As for being sent to buy alcohol, she likely assumed it was to have a relaxed conversation about what comes next, so she complied. There’s nothing unnatural about that. In other words, the suspect skillfully led her to think that way. Considering that he made statements like ‘Whether to hire you is ultimately up to me’ while committing the indecent acts, this was highly premeditated and malicious. It’s essentially the same as saying, ‘If you want to be hired, do as I say,’ which is close to a threat.

However, it did not escalate to sexual assault like in the cases of Saito or Sakaki. This likely means the woman managed to escape. She also immediately called 110, which was absolutely the right decision. If she had consulted someone first or delayed, evidence could have been lost or memories could have faded, making an arrest less likely. That said, if it goes to trial, there is a possibility the sentence may be suspended rather than resulting in actual imprisonment.”

Based on this, Ogawa also offered advice for job interviews and cautioned hiring companies:

“In job interviews, especially for women, a one-on-one situation should never be created. In this day and age, it’s standard for a third party—often another woman—to be present during such interviews. From the company’s perspective as well, conducting interviews one-on-one can lead to later accusations of harassment. For that reason, interviews should always be conducted by multiple people—this should be considered common practice.”