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Olympic champ Icho allegedly harassed by wrestling director

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As someone who has been harassed by a Japanese colleague (female) there are many many ways - subtle, indirect and often comical - that people can use the system at hand to do so and not even think that it is harassment. I have no doubt that this Sakae joker harassed Icho in what is now recognised as such, but I also have no doubt that he is clueless that it is harassment. Some people just no no get it. Just as many posters think harassment is only sexual. It is almost 'restraint of trade' but I don't know if that legal concept exists here. Love how Icho just kept winning and winning and winning...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

To me, it seems like a copycat of the "MeToo" harassment in the USA. I hope Japan does not copy this Western trend.

Yeah such a shame that the days of men in powerful positions being able to sexually harass women are over, hey?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Sorry, my copy/pasting got scrambled. Here’s a better version

Cheers!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No problem. I often find translation errors or differences in details when compared to the original Japanese source material.

A, B, and C jointly filed the complaint anonymously straight to a Cabinet office rather than let it be handled within the Federation. 

The wrestling federation recieves funding from the Ministry of Art Sports and Culture.

The National Defense College; Japan’s army officer cadet academy (West Point), the SDF physical training school and the National Police Agency also field wrestlers in tournaments and the Olympics.

It’s understandable that the anonymous persons who filed the complaint would prefer to appeal to an authority above Sakae’s influence. Which, if the news is correct, is very wide and high.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It does not say she “was coached”, it says she “coached”. She was invited to go to Iran last fall for about 10 days to train people involved in training female wrestlers.

So she was coaching "people" who were involved in training "female wrestlers", and these "iranian people" were training "iranian female wrestlers", would you have any links, pictures of this training.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Thanks for the heads up BeerDeliveryGuy!

Triangulating this with the English NHK article and the Mainichi English article shows what a real mess this is. A, B, and C jointly filed the complaint anonymously straight to a Cabinet office rather than let it be handled within the Federation. Fresh off the heels of the Sumo scandal, I can imagine why.

Wrestling and Sumo, both apt metaphors for the kabuki show of 'wa' in Japan Inc.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This article is confusing and may be mistaken in its facts. 

'Sakae ordered Kaoru's coach to stop working with her ... ' etc.? 

Now THAT is very interesting because Sakae IS her coach. 

HE is the one being harassed by an unnamed 'person close to the matter'.

Sakae pressured Tanabe to quit as Icho’s coach after she left Sakae to train under Tanabe who was head coach of the MPD wrestling team.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Icho, who hopes to pursue a coaching career in the future, coached in Iran last year

So who was coaching whom, Iranian's coached her or she was coaching Iranian wrestlers?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This article is confusing and may be mistaken in its facts.

'Sakae ordered Kaoru's coach to stop working with her ... ' etc.?

Now THAT is very interesting because Sakae IS her coach.

HE is the one being harassed by an unnamed 'person close to the matter'.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

@Cricky...much respect!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It should be emphasized that Icho herself was not involved in nor did she offer information to the report submitted to the wrestling federation.

Thr report was a joint statement from several other wrestlers and wrestling committee/federation members. The only reason Icho is the center of focus is because she is the most famous of Sakae’s alleged victims and reportedly took the most of his abuse.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

kohakuebisu ... You hit the nail on the head, and in far fewer words than it took me. It is not just Japan, but FIFA, the IOC, and pro sports league owners world wide. I guess I'm still just 'wrasslin' with words.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

There is a Japanese phrase meaning "this is so bad it is beneath comment." That is how I feel about the COMMENTS on this article! Why do you not use a dictionary to learn what "power harassment" means? Any one male or female or any other sex may suffer this. It is not related to sexual demands or rape. Is that clear?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

It seems like many sports around the world are run by self-important idiots in blazers. Old boys' clubs, as it were. This is just another example. An administrator ordering a coach to not work with a G.O.A.T. level athlete because she must be punished. What an idiot.

Ganbare appears to be parody account mimicking all-too-typical Japanese attitudes. It's your choice whether to take the comments seriously. I would be more confident that it is a parody if were actually funny.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Ganbare Japan!: To me, it seems like a copycat of the "MeToo" harassment in the USA. I hope Japan does not copy this Western trend.

Yes, by all means. Keep sweeping things under the tatami.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

why didn't she put him in a figure-four leglock?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

She’s a Japanese Hero! Sounds like someone was jealous of her success and wanted it to only come through his terms. behind every successful Japanese woman is a Japanese man trying to hold her back

3 ( +5 / -2 )

To me, it seems like a copycat of the "MeToo" pleeeaase Japan has more than its fair share of power and sexual a harassment, its just J women arnt taken seriously so many do not report these crimes

3 ( +6 / -3 )

I apologised for my mistake! I get it and atoned. You don't learn without mistakes.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Lol Yubaru, I think Crikey missed the point twice.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

What’s with all the sexual harassment comments?

No where in the article or joint statement is sexual harassment mentioned.

Icho changed coaches from Sakae to Tanabe after winning her second medal. Sakae, who is influential in the wrestling community, allegedly threatened Tanabe and reported him to the wrestling committee for “failing to perform his duty as MPD coach due to coaching Icho.” The harrasment also (allegedly) included Tanabe not being given a chair or shut out of comittee meetings, although he was a vice director, and Icho being shut out of training sessions and the MPD training facilities. Sakae is suspected of abusing his influence to sabotage Icho and Tanabe, not sexual harassment.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Ganbare Japan: " I hope Japan does not copy this Western trend."

I know, you want men here to continue to freely be able to sexually assaul and harrass, and women not be able to speak out and not taken seriously if they do. Otherwise, why else would you oppose a movement that encourages women to speak out against harrassment, and empowers women in general?

But, in a way you are correct -- this is Japan, and the sexual abusers will be protected by the old men at the top. The oyaji denial, if proven wrong, will just lead to the oyaji, "I don't remember", and/or, "I was drunk (and don't remember)" and all will be forgiven while the victim is stigmatized and turned into a pariah for speaking out.

8 ( +12 / -4 )

I apologise, yes I made a mistake. Conclusions are wrong footed. Old men like myself are tanget prone.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Harassment is harassment, the details are not a matter of Symantec debate it's harassment. By an old man again who does not feel he is getting quodos or a feeling of power.

I agree that harassment is harassment however there is a huge difference between calling someone a "sexual predator" and some boss who is not feeling like he is getting his share of the limelight.

He may be a cranky old guy, but but that doesnt make him criminal.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Sakae repeatedly harassed Icho by preventing her from using a Metropolitan Police Department training facility

Am I the only one confused by this article? It doesn't say "sexually" harassed anywhere in the article, but the comments are assuming that is what happened. If it wasn't sexual harassment, perhaps the article could be reworded to say "Sakae repeatedly interfered with Icho's training by preventing...

Moreover, if this was indeed sexual harassment, perhaps the author could correct the article to say this?

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Harassment is harassment, the details are not a matter of Symantec debate it's harassment. By an old man again who does not feel he is getting quodos or a feeling of power. But I do take the point.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

It's time these people in positions of power are exposed as the sexual predators they are.

Please understand the difference between "power harassment" and "sexual harassment ", there is no mention in the article that this was any type of "sexual" nor "predatory" behavior.

Sounds more like a coach that got butt hurt that he isnt the one in the spotlight anymore!

18 ( +22 / -4 )

I wonder is this a case more of jealousy, since this coach that is being accused was also the coach for Saori Yoshida who was not able to win her 4th gold medal. Maybe the coach was trying his best to disrupt her training so she would not surpass his protege?

7 ( +9 / -2 )

She’s a Japanese Hero! Sounds like someone was jealous of her success and wanted it to only come through his terms.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

It's time these people in positions of power are exposed as the sexual predators they are.

-2 ( +12 / -14 )

To me, it seems like a copycat of the "MeToo" harassment in the USA. I hope Japan does not copy this Western trend.

-28 ( +7 / -35 )

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