With the humidity finally beginning to dissipate, it’s nice to find out that it is not just pasty-faced foreigners that suffer terribly during Japan’s long and muggy summer months; as a man that was allegedly forced to quit his job due to excessive body odour has recently been arrested for making prank calls to his former employer.
Yoshikazu Ishiwata it seems has admitted to the allegations of phone misconduct, with the 42-year-old also accused of starting obscene conversations when any of the company’s female employees answered the telephone.
It turns out that the perspiring prankster only worked for the Yokohama based business for two months, claiming, “The fact that I sweat easily and have body odour became a problem, so I had no choice but to quit.” Company officials however disagree with this version of events, a spokesperson saying, “We were telling him to watch his body odour and sweating because he was a sales clerk. But he sweated easily in summer. He quit of his own accord after talks with us.”
All very embarrassing to say the least, but whichever version is correct, it is to be hoped that Ishiwata-san has got his carefree summer sweating under control — or at least bought some decent deodorant — as he is now employed as a taxi driver. The combination of a confined space and a heavily perspiring driver conjuring up very unpleasant feelings indeed.
blahblah says
Isn’t deodorant strangely missing in Japan? I thought gaijins had to import the stuff or carry it in from their home country.
Lee says
It is available, but yeah, it’s not the best.
When I go home, I always make sure I bring back some deodrant. Not that I smell mind you!