TOKYO (AP) — A corporate whistleblower's eight-year courtroom battle against Japanese medical device maker Olympus Corp. has ended with a financial settlement and a promise from the company to end its harassment of the man.
Masaharu Hamada and Olympus reached the settlement Thursday, which awarded Hamada 11 million yen ($110,000). Legal settlements for individuals in Japan are typically small.
The case, which went to Japan's highest court in 2012, has highlighted the lack of protection for whistleblowers in Japan.
The Supreme Court ruling said Olympus had unlawfully punished Hamada for relaying a complaint from a supplier and should reinstate him to his original position. But the company refused to comply, resulting in another lawsuit from Hamada.