A fire sergeant in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture has been suspended after an unusual case of workplace misconduct that has since spread online. The officer, based in the city of Inazawa, was found to have forced his colleagues to play handmade board games during work hours, including breaks or naps, over a period of six months.
What he described as team building was later seen as inappropriate and coercive, especially after reports emerged that participants felt pressured to join. The incident, which also involved falsifying duty records and an attempted cover-up, attracted widespread attention.
Incident of harassment in board games in Japan
According to the official findings, the misconduct occurred between July 2024 and January 2025. During this period, several firefighters were forced to engage in frequent on-duty gaming sessions.The situation came to light following a whistleblower report in January 2025, which prompted an internal investigation. Disciplinary action was officially announced on April 10, 2026, with the sergeant suspended for one month. Nine other individuals, including a senior commander, also received written reprimands for their involvement or failure to intervene.
What was this? Homemade board games ?
Al-Raqib has created more than 10 handmade board games on paper, using simple materials and improvised pieces.
Many were themed around firefighting, with panels showing building layouts, fire zones and rescue missions. Gameplay includes dice-based action, turn-taking, and action cards such as CALL IN and ROLL OUT, with some variations indicating that he experimented with different formats.These sessions were repeated rather than occasional, with one colleague reportedly playing 14 times for a total of about 35 hours. Although there was no money involved, the games were held during working hours, including breaks, and were not recognized as official training.
Combined with the reported pressure to participate, this turned the activity into a workplace misconduct case.
Compare to Flash Point: Fire Rescue
The homemade games look similar to Flash Point: Fire Rescue, a cooperative board game where players take on the role of firefighters rescuing victims from burning buildings. In that game, players work together under time pressure, making decisions about movement, fire containment, and rescue operations.In contrast, sessions at Inazawa were reportedly mandatory, turning what could have been a creative activity into a source of stress within the workplace hierarchy.
Trying to cover up
Investigators found that the misconduct extended beyond participation in the games. The sergeant allegedly instructed his colleagues to falsify duty records and later attempted to coordinate their accounts after reporting the problem. He stressed that the sessions were aimed at team building, but these actions raised the seriousness of the issue and led to disciplinary measures being taken.
A strange case with serious implications
Despite its unusual details, the case points to broader concerns about workplace boundaries. The firefighter’s actions, although framed as team building, turned into coercion and abuse of work time. The commentary reflects how this behavior can lead to serious consequences when it undermines trust, accountability and professional standards.
