A police sergeant in Osaka, Japan came under fire for repeatedly forcing subordinate officers to eat large amounts of food. The sergeant has since left the force, reports the Japanese media.
According to Yomiuri Online, from February 2010, the 40 year-old sergeant began forcing four subordinate officers into gluttony. In over ten occasions, he ordered officers, all in their 20s and 30s, to buy large amounts of food, bring them back, and then consume them. Apparently, the officers had to pay for the food themselves.
For example, there were cases in which one officer was forced to eat 15 hamburgers, 15 donuts, a large cup of instant noodles, four servings of fried noodles, and three to four liters of coffee with milk—in a single sitting. No wonder the subordinate reported going from 159 pounds to 194 pounds in the span of six months.
In Japanese society, there are strong senior and junior (senpai or 先輩 and kouhai or 後輩) relations at school and work. Perhaps, because of this social structure, the subordinate officers were reluctant to refuse or speak out at first. Then again, hazing is a problem all over the world.
The sergeant, who said he received similar treatment from his superior when he was younger, explained, "I wanted to see them (the subordinates) make unpleasant faces." He added that he was trying to "toughen up" the younger officers. On December 25, the sergeant was admonished by his superior. He voluntarily left the force that same day.
バーガー１５個食え…警官、部下に自腹飲食強要 [Yomiuri Online]
巡査部長、後輩に自腹大食い強要 ハンバーガー１５個 [Asahi]
Photo: rvlsoft / Shutterstock
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