Mayor in Shimane Prefecture arrested on suspicion of assaulting nurse Dec. 17, 2020 01:10 pm JST Dec. 17, 2020 | 03:46 pm JST SHIMANE
The mayor of Unnan City in Shimane Prefecture has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a female nurse while he was in hospital.
Mayor Hitoshi Hara, 65, faces allegations of assault against a 28-year-old nurse at a hospital, Sankei Shimbun reported. According to police, the incident occurred at around 6:50 a.m. on Wednesday. Hara allegedly grabbed the woman by the ear and around the neck, causing her injury, in the corridor outside his room.
In November, Hara was re-elected unopposed. He was hospitalized on Dec 9 after falling ill at work and was later diagnosed with hypertension.