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(...) Tecmo's Tomonobu Itagaki, father of the Dead or Alive series, is facing allegations of sexual harrassment from a former Tecmo worker. Itagaki, who has become quite a famous face of the game industry thanks to his frequent appearance in magazines, is being asked to pay compensation of 10 million yen. The issue is also thought to be an influence in his unexpected demotion at Tecmo this August.

The member of staff, who quit Tecmo on September 8 this year, presented her case for sueing Itagaki and Tecmo two days later on the 10th, and legal discussions started a month later on October 4. According to the plaintiff, the acts of sexual harrassment started from September 9, three years ago, in a taxi on the way back from a party after a meeting with managers from an IT company. Itagaki is alleged to have forcibly kissed the woman after proclaiming his fondness of her. The tales of harrassment continued, with Itagaki supposedly locking the reception and wrapping his arms around the plaintiff on many occasions, ending up with a similar run-in at a hotel during E3 last year.

The result of internal investigation was that kisses had been a show of "mutual affection", though the company deemed his actions improper and he lost his position of Managing Executive Officer. After an unsatisfactory response from the company, she handed in her resignation.