Hidenori Furuta has resigned as chair of Fujitsu, the Japanese technology company at the center of the Post Office IT scandal, after the board became aware of his “woman-related inappropriate conduct.” The company announced on Tuesday that Furuta stepped down after two years in the role.
Resignation Details
In a stock market filing, Fujitsu stated that its board of directors “became aware of his inappropriate conduct and subsequently received a request from Mr Furuta to resign as director as of 16 June.” The company also withdrew Furuta’s candidacy as a non-executive director at its annual shareholders’ meeting later this month.
A spokesperson confirmed there was “inappropriate conduct” that was “woman-related,” but declined to provide further details, according to the Financial Times.
Post Office Scandal Context
This resignation adds to the ongoing scandal involving Fujitsu, which supplied faulty Horizon software to the Post Office in the UK. The software led to thousands of post office operators being falsely accused of embezzlement, with 900 wrongfully convicted for theft and false accounting.
Fujitsu is currently negotiating a settlement with the UK government but has not yet contributed to the £1.5bn compensation bill for victims, which has been funded by UK taxpayers. The company admitted it had known since the 1990s that the Horizon system was faulty.
The Horizon system is finally set to be replaced at the Post Office after Accenture and OneView Commerce won contracts to implement a new accounting system.
Fujitsu's Role in Japan's Tech Sector
As Japan’s largest IT services company, Fujitsu is expected to play a leading role in Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s efforts to advance AI and reduce reliance on the United States.
Furuta was elevated to chair in 2024 after serving in various roles, including chief operating officer, executive vice-president, and chief technology officer at Fujitsu. He recently participated in the Japan-EU Business Round Table in Brussels, alongside Mikihito Saito, chair of the Japan Business Council in Europe and senior executive vice-president at Fujitsu.
When contacted by Reuters via LinkedIn, Furuta stated: “The company statement speaks for itself.”
Pattern of Executive Misconduct in Japan
Several Japanese executives have lost their jobs over allegations of inappropriate behavior toward women. Shinji Aoyama, an executive vice-president at Honda, resigned just over a year ago after an allegation of inappropriate behavior at a social gathering outside work. In 2023, Japan’s largest oil refiner, Eneos, dismissed its president, Takeshi Saito, for alleged misconduct while intoxicated at a social event.
The most high-profile scandal involved Masahiro Nakai, a former member of the popular boyband Smap, who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at a private dinner in June 2023, reportedly arranged by a senior staff member at Fuji TV. The network faced an advertiser boycott and later apologized.
