May 23 (Japan Times) - The mayor of Komae in western Tokyo expressed his intention to resign on Tuesday after four female employees of the municipal government submitted a protest letter saying they have been sexually harassed by him.
Mayor Kunihiko Takahashi, who had repeatedly denied the allegations, indicated he would step down after the letter, which included the names of the four women, was submitted to the city earlier in the day, local officials said.
Since the allegations surfaced in March, the 66-year-old mayor has been urged to resign, even by his deputy. The deputy mayor held a news conference the previous day, saying the city had confirmed two cases of sexual harassment by the mayor through an internal investigation.
Takahashi has been under fire after the Japanese Communist Party obtained an internal document of the municipal government showing several female employees had reported being sexually harassed by him.
