TOKYO- All Nippon Airways (NH), Japan’s largest airline, has seen one of its captains sentenced to jail after a Tokyo court found him guilty of sexually assaulting a female flight attendant during a domestic layover in Takamatsu (TAK), Kagawa Prefecture.
The case has drawn attention to workplace hierarchy and reporting culture within the aviation industry.
The incident occurred on October 10, 2023. The flight attendant told the court she felt unable to refuse the captain’s repeated advances because she feared her career at All Nippon Airways could be harmed if she challenged a senior colleague.
The court accepted her testimony and rejected the captain’s defense.
ANA Captain Jailed in Sexual Assault Case
A Tokyo court sentenced Ryota Mise to 20 months in prison. Mise, 44, worked as a captain with ANA. The court found him guilty of sexually assaulting a young ANA female flight attendant during a domestic layover.
The 2 crew members had first met the previous day and operated a flight to Takamatsu together. After their duties ended, they joined other crew for dinner. The group then walked back to the hotel.
During the walk, Mise repeatedly grabbed the flight attendant’s buttocks. He did so on the street and again inside a convenience store. The court ruled that he acted without her consent.
The flight attendant testified that she did not resist. She explained that Mise was a captain. She feared that refusing him could harm her future career at the airline. The court accepted her account as credible.
Judge Takao Okawa dismissed Mise’s claim that he believed he had permission to touch her. The judge called the victim’s testimony “convincing and highly credible.” He concluded that the evidence supported a guilty verdict.
ANA Investigation and Criminal Proceedings
The flight attendant first reported the misconduct to All Nippon Airways. The airline then launched an internal investigation.
During that review, Mise admitted that he had touched the flight attendant. As reported by PYOK, the airline allowed him to keep flying as a pilot after reviewing his explanation.
The flight attendant later took the case to police. Officers then arrested Mise and opened a criminal investigation.
Prosecutors sought a two and a half year prison sentence. The Tokyo court instead handed down 20 months after weighing the evidence.
Court Findings and Workplace Power Imbalance
The case exposed the influence of workplace hierarchy in aviation. Junior employees often feel reluctant to challenge senior colleagues.
The flight attendant told the court she believed refusing the captain could damage her career. The court concluded that this fear explained her decision not to resist.
Aviation safety experts have long raised similar concerns. Excessive deference to senior staff can discourage crew from reporting misconduct or safety issues.
Similar Concerns
Japan’s airline industry has faced other conduct issues tied to workplace culture. The ANA verdict follows one recent example.
Japan Airlines (JL) drew public attention over an alcohol case. A senior flight attendant exceeded the legal alcohol limit before a domestic flight to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).
The crew member deliberately withheld the results of a mandatory pre-flight breath test. She used a personally assigned testing device. Junior colleagues reminded her to submit the results. When she dismissed their concerns, none of them escalated the issue.
A company-administered test at the airport later exposed the violation. The incident delayed the flight. Japan Airlines then banned flight attendants from drinking alcohol during layovers. The airline’s chief executive also accepted a temporary pay cut.
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