Ryoko Tasaki
Dec 21, 2017

Creative accused of sexual harassment resigns in Japan

The #MeToo movement has reached Japanese advertising.

A #MeToo rally in New York City in December. The movement is in its early stages in Japan but could have a big impact on the advertising and other industries. (Photo: AFP)
A #MeToo rally in New York City in December. The movement is in its early stages in Japan but could have a big impact on the advertising and other industries. (Photo: AFP)

Yuki Kishi, a former Dentsu executive creative director, resigned this week from the company he founded following allegations of power and sexual harassment by a former colleague.

According to a detailed report by BuzzFeed Japan, Haruka Ito, a former Dentsu employee who is now an independent writer and popular blogger known as 'Haachuu', was the victim of sexual and power harassment while working at the company.

The report named Kishi as the perpetrator. Kishi established his own company, Tokikitaru in April.
 

Haruka Ito (image from Ito's Line Blog)

In addition to Ito’s testimony, the article included comments from multiple Dentsu employees and suggested others also suffered harassment.

In response, Kishi resigned as representative director of Tokikitaru, issuing a statement that expressed regret for making a “big noise” through inappropriate personal behaviour and taking responsibility for inconveniencing clients and business partners.

The #MeToo movement has been slow to take off in Japan, but has the potential to impact multiple industries. One female advertising industry observer in Japan predicted more cases would arise and said harassment was a national issue.

Source:
Campaign Japan

Related Articles

Just Published

14 hours ago

Google cuts 200 jobs in a core business unit

The redundancies are in a department responsible for sales and partnerships and part of a broader cost-cutting move as Google invests $75 billion in AI and data centres.

15 hours ago

Why sports marketing should lean into intimate, ...

In a world shaped by Gen Z and hyper-local engagement, the winning brands aren’t the loudest—they’re the ones that create authentic experiences that foster belonging and build trust.

15 hours ago

Is AI financially beneficial for agencies?

AI promises speed, efficiency—and fewer billable hours. So why are ad agencies investing millions in a tool that threatens their bottom line? Campaign Red digs into the tension between progress and profit.

16 hours ago

How Want Want cracked Japan’s competitive confection...

Campaign speaks to Tony Chang of the iconic Taiwanese food brand to learn about the brand’s strategy in penetrating the Japanese market, and the challenges of localisation.