A Japanese finance ministry employee on a night out with colleagues lost documents that contained the personal data of 187 individuals suspected of drug smuggling, local media reports reveal. The unnamed worker reportedly consumed nine glasses of beer during a five-hour social outing in Yokohama on February 6. According to reports, the employee only realized their bag was missing after disembarking from a train in Sumida, far from where the night ended.
The finance ministry has since expressed "deep sorrow" for the incident, acknowledging that it "significantly undermined public trust," as stated by NHK, Japan's public broadcaster. The lost bag contained documents with the names and addresses of the 187 suspected drug smugglers and individuals who received marijuana seeds. Additionally, it housed laptops containing the employee's personal information.
The employee, who is part of the customs and tariff bureau, has not been publicly identified. On this public holiday in Japan, the BBC has reached out to the finance ministry for further comment.
In Japan, alcohol has historically functioned as a social lubricant, where business interactions and difficult discussions are often carried out over drinks. The cultural norm promotes the idea that alcohol fosters a more relaxed environment for vital conversations.
