Sendai official sacked over fake bereavement days off

"Natori was dismissed—weeks ahead of his retirement—and had his lump sum cut in half as punishment."

Now he is feeling a real sense of loss.

There's only so much homework one dog can eat.

Hey, this is one Japanese guy who wanted to take time off work.

Bet when a colleague takes time off for compassionate leave there is no complaining or whining or otherwise grumblings about taking over his work and making him feel miserable upon his return.

Not condoning what the man did but the Japanese ought to let co-workers take days off, compassionate or vacation or sick days, without the guilt trip (no such thing for me; I earned them so I use them and if the company doesn't cross train or have temps in for when their people need time off, then Japan deserves all the karoshis and all...). The man probably was sooo ready to retire from about five years ago but had to hang on for whatever reason. Now, he's caught and has to do with half his lump sum.

The Japanese "holiday system" is deplorable... They should adopt the European holiday system then no-one would need to "lie" about bereavements in the family.in order to have a little free time.

one thing you ought to know, public officials at management level receive many perks. retirements payouts are much much larger than the ordinary citizen. He used all his annual leave which means on top of natinal holidays, sickdays etc that would have amounted to about 39 days or more. Much more than most. yet he needed another 16? paid days? he coukd have received 16 unpaid days off but instead made sure he received 16 extra paid days and made a habit of it. he knew the penalties would have been hard. He is lucky he wasnt processed through the criminal courts for falsifying documentation. sure I feel a little sorry about a guy that was a government worker and got away with lting and cheating whilst the rest if his staff were slaving away. He still receives his full pension though. so maybe Im bot that sorry for him.

Now it's turned out that he has to lie in the bed he has allegedly made. Um,I guess he got very disappointed with his retirement benefit unexpectedly being reduced by half. I feel sorry for him. Hopefully, he'll get back on his feet as time proceeds.

Cutting his retirement "bonus" seems a bit harsh, especially when taking time off for a "death" in the family is basically a national sport! I have had countless Japanese tell me if someone does MILK IT as no one will questions leave for a death in the family, no matter how stretched the relationship is!~

OK the guy did wrong, politicians do MUCH WORSE & are hardly penalized.............what ever!

But he was rumbled in January when he tried to claim time off for the funeral of an uncle

He was RUMBLED............ what the hell is that? or do I need to go back in time & sign up for lessons at NOVA!!!

Generally, informal language shouldn't be used in news articles

I'd agree with you - generally. But this article is written throughout in an informal style, in fact it would be quite difficult to keep a deadpan face while writing about attending the funerals of people who haven't died or don't even exist, or uncles who die twice. In this instance, the use of rumbled fits very nicely.

International news should be written in a non-regional manner. Same as they shouldn't use Americanisms in the news.

As soon as you decide whether to use centre or center, theatre or theater, analyse or analyze, you're writing in a 'regional' manner. Can't be helped.

By the way, that 'standard' dictionary on dictionary.com isn't standard at all, it's American. The 'standard' version gives rumble=to have or take part in a street fight between or among teenage gangs: in the British version, it points out (correctly) that that definition is US slang.

It's got to be something pretty blatant, to get him sacked from a government job.

Is the real face of local government? It can be because of the incentives built in for this type of misbehavior in uncertain and unsettled times.

Can I claim compassionate leave for death of my soul or can I claim compensation from my company for killing it?

Just weeks away from retiring and still doing boneheaded stuff. Now, he's really got something to be bereaved about. By the way, just what does it mean to be ''rumbled'' as written in the article? Does it mean ''exposed?''

I think halving his retirement bonus is excessive. Maybe his next position will be at Ministry of Finance.

I knew a guy who took days off for at least 6 Grannies who died. It's not uncommon.

I knew a guy who took days off for at least 6 Grannies who died. It's not uncommon.

His family must've had some re-marriages!

I had a student in my school whose mother always made excuses as to why her daughter couldn't come (they weren't obligated to come it's an after school English class for little kids but she called almost every week saying somebody died or her daughter was sick she only showed up once a month and was always far behind the other students in the lessons..why join something like that then lie? I don't understand the need to kill family and friends to stay out of doing something..

Jokes aside, this man was contrite, at least, and apologized in the face of a harsh punishment. This action highly contrasts many American counterparts who usually respond with "my attorney advises me not to comment at this time" in such situations.

Can I claim compassionate leave for death of my soul or can I claim compensation from my company for killing it?

Have you tried writing it off as an educational expense, Jimizo?

Although Notorious Natori...i have little sympathy for the guy losing 50% of retirement benefits.

In Japan taking a day off is considered a crime. They don't care or even condole on the death of near relatives of coworkers. This is a nation where material world is every thing.

I feel for the guy, cutting his lump payment weeks before retirement is criminal