A Tokyo court sentences an All Nippon Airways (ANA) pilot to 20 months in prison for groping a flight attendant after work. The Tokyo District Court rules that Ryota Mise, 44, abuses his authority as a captain when he touches the victim’s genital area at multiple locations in Takamatsu, Kagawa prefecture, in October 2023. The court characterizes his conduct as “mean and persistent,” finding that he takes advantage of his position to commit the assaults. According to reports from multiple outlets, Mise pleads not guilty. His defense argues that the victim sent an approving message to him shortly after the incident, suggesting the encounter may not have been non-consensual. The court rejects this position and imposes a prison term of 20 months. The case centers on actions taken after work rather than during flight operations, and the verdict reflects the court’s assessment of the frequency and manner of the touching, as well as the power imbalance involved.