A Tokyo District Court has sentenced an All-Nippon Airways (ANA) captain, Ryota Mise (44), to one year and eight months (20 months) in prison for sexually assaulting a female flight attendant.

The case has drawn significant attention due to the severe abuse of workplace hierarchy and reporting culture in the aviation industry.

The Incident

The assault took place before dawn on October 10, 2023, during a domestic layover in the city of Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture.

  • The Setup: The 44-year-old captain and the young female flight attendant had operated a flight together to Takamatsu just the day before, marking the very first time they had met. After completing their duties, the two joined other crew members for a group dinner.
  • The Assault: While the group was walking back to the hotel, and later inside a convenience store, Mise repeatedly grabbed the flight attendant's buttocks.

The Court Testimony & Workplace Fear

During the trial, the flight attendant shared powerful testimony detailing why she didn't aggressively fight back in the moment. She explained that she felt completely trapped and feared that resisting a senior captain could lead to professional disadvantages or ruin her career at ANA. She stated she "did not know what would happen" if she pushed back against his authority.

The Defence and The Ruling

Mise attempted to claim innocence, offering a defence that the judge strongly rejected.

  • The captain’s defence: Mise argued that because they had established a good rapport and "built trust" during the group dinner, he believed touching her was permissible as a harmless piece of "mischief".
  • The Judge's Verdict: Presiding Judge Takao Okawa completely dismissed this logic, labelling the act as a "despicable" sexual assault that actively abused his rank as a captain. The judge stated that Mise's arguments were "unreasonable excuses" and showed a complete "lack of sincere remorse," making a prison sentence unavoidable.

While prosecutors had originally pushed for a longer sentence of two years and six months, the court ultimately finalized the sentence at 1 year and 8 months of jail time.

ANA's Response

Following the verdict, All Nippon Airways released a statement confirming they take the court's ruling layout very seriously. The airline stated they will continue to enforce thorough internal measures to prevent workplace harassment and ensure such an abuse of authority never recurs.