Tecmo responds to sexual harassment allegations

Tecmo has responded to allegations made by a former employee in a sexual harassment lawsuit targeted at the Japanese developer and Ninja Gaiden producer Tomonobu Itagaki.

The former employee claims the harassment began in 2003 and continued through the following years' despite efforts to bring the incidents to the company's attention, after which the employee claims unfair dismissal.

However, Tecmo has issued a terse rebuttal, claiming: "The alleged sexual harassment of the former employee by Itagaki never took place, and Tecmo did not issue an unjustified notice of dismissal to the former employee."

Tecmo accuses the former employee of making multiple demands, and as a result of a month long investigation, "determined that the allegations in question were a result of the former employee's desire to vent frustration over her own personal affair, and not indicative of sexual harassment."

Despite this, Tecmo does admit that Itagaki and the former employee, as well as others, "mingled personal affairs with their corporate responsibilities," which, "hindered the normal operation of the company by introducing unnecessary confusion into the workplace."

As a result, both Itagaki and the former employee were demoted and had their wages reduced.

Tecmo is currently preparing for a second hearing where it will be given its first opportunity to present specific rebuttals, while Itagaki is preparing a counter-suit against the former employee alleging defamation caused by false allegations.