Toyota's Otaka Sued For Sexual Harassment

[Newbiewar]

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New York - Alleging sexual harassment and assault, a former assistant to Toyota Motors' (nyse: TM - news - people ) highest-ranking North American executive has sued both the executive and the auto firm for over $150 million.

Sayaka Kobayashi alleges that Hideaki Otaka, CEO of Toyota Motor North America, subjected her to unwelcome advances beginning last August, less than six months after she took a position as his executive assistant.

According to the complaint, filed in New York State Supreme Court, Otaka sexually assaulted her and compared her to a breakfast cereal.

When she complained to the company's human resources department and its second-ranked executive, she was offered a buyout and ultimately shifted to another position.

Steven Curtis, a spokesman for Toyota Motor North America, said the company had no comment.

According to the complaint, the first assault occurred in early September of last year, when Kobayashi accompanied Otaka on a business trip to Washington, D.C.

Otaka asked Kobayashi to come to his hotel room, so she changed into business attire and complied. He offered her a drink, which she refused.

Otaka asked Kobayashi why "a pretty woman like her was never married to anyone," according to the complaint. Then he "suddenly approached Ms. Kobayashi, forcibly grabbing her body and attempting to engage in sexual contact with her."

The following month, Kobayashi helped Otaka host a dinner party at his home. During a discussion with another Toyota employee about his favorite breakfast cereal, Otaka allegedly said, "No, my number one favorite is Sayaka, then Kellogg's Corn Flakes."

The second assault occurred in November, during a walk in Central Park. Again, Otaka allegedly grabbed Kobayashi. When she rebuffed him, Otaka said "that he loved children and that if he were ten years younger, he would have wanted Plaintiff to have his child."

Kobayashi is asking for $150 million in punitive damages, and tens of millions more to compensate for damage to her career and emotional distress.

[toyoguy]

that's pretty funny. Why not just go to stripclubs like normal executives???

[Newbiewar]

that's pretty funny.  Why not just go to stripclubs like normal executives???

i have a feeling that ceo of NA will be losing his job...

as this will get paid off...i really hope this girl keeps up the news... dont let damage control buy this over

[Intrepidation]

Of course, she could just be in it for the money and making it up. It's a fad these days

[BrewSwillis]

This is the clincher though:

Otaka allegedly said, "No, my number one favorite is Sayaka, then Kellogg's Corn Flakes."

:rotflmao:

[DetroitNut90]

Toyota: Moving Forward into NY Supreme Court...

[Flybrian]

[Intrepidation]

that's quite a grab!

[Mr.Krinkle]

does that breakfast cereal line ever work...

im gonna git me a handful of sayaka tonight ...ooo yeah

[BatmanGTO]

ok i must have used better lines in my day.... what in the heck is the breakfast cereal line?

[Newbiewar]

ok i must have used better lines in my day.... what in the heck is the breakfast cereal line?

i dont know but this just hit the fan... front page news.... 190 million

[regfootball]

looking on msnbc news headlines, they have the headline about toyota and brooks and dunn, but not about this. now that's bias.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

"Hey, baby, want to know what it's really like to be 'Moving Forward'?"

Ah, nothing can top what Fly posted.

[balthazar]

Japan Inc is really starting to crack at the seams. Nice.

[VenSeattle]

"Hey, baby, want to know what it's really like to be 'Moving Forward'?"

Corporate philosophy:

Here at Toyota Going Down is part of Moving Forward:

• Interior quality
• Mechanical Reliability
• Executive Assistants

[regfootball]

Corporate philosophy:

Here at Toyota Going Down is part of Moving Forward:

• Interior quality

• Mechanical Reliability

• Executive Assistants

ROTFLMAO

[76ChevyTrucker]

Now THAT is hilarious. Although in today's corporate world it'll be swept under the rug by damage control and we won't hear another word about it.