SAITAMA (TR) – Perhaps the “Japanese teachers as perverts” narrative is a bit overblown after all, opines evening tabloid Nikkan Gendai (Oct. 27).

On October 24, the Saitama Prefectural Board of Education dismissed an American male teacher at a high school following a string of illicit incidents, one of which involved him allegedly exposing himself to a female pupil.

According to the tabloid, the American was an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) at a public high school in the eastern part of the prefecture. Aged 29, he has been in Japan for three years.

The first incident involved a male student who was being instructed by the ALT one-on-on inside a classroom after school on April 22. During the session, the pair began a discussion about the hometown of the teacher, a person connected to the school told Gendai.

“While the teacher showed photos of local scenery stored on his smartphone, an image showing female genitalia appeared on the screen,” the school source says. “When the boy became unsettled about seeing something he shouldn’t, the teacher hurriedly closed the screen.”

“Wow, that looks delicious”

This was not the only time that the American’s smartphone was the source of trouble. On August 21, a female student and her friend were studying in a classroom when he entered. It was summer vacation, and he began a conversation about food with the girl while her friend sat separately.

“He again started showing photographs on his smartphone. This time of food,” the same school source says. “‘Wow, that looks delicious,’ the girl said. Then, the next image showed male genitalia. After she became lost for words, he closed the screen. She then made it seem like she had not seen it, and they both pretended nothing had happened.”

One week later, the ALT entered another classroom when the same girl was inside. After he began a conversation with her, he dropped a key on the floor and squatted down to pick it up.

At the time, the teacher was attired in casual shorts. When he stood back up, the shorts were left at his feet and he was revealing his lower body to the girl.

“I’m sorry,” the ALT said, raising the shorts back up to his waist while bowing his head. However, he wasn’t done. Just before leaving the room, he looked away from her and said, “Well, then.” Once more, he dropped his shorts to his ankles, leaving his penis, again, exposed.

“I was wearing underwear”

On August 29, the student consulted a female teacher. Afterward, several other illicit incidents involving the teacher emerged.

“I was wearing underwear,” the teacher reportedly said in disputing the claims of the girl. “Having my shorts drop [to my ankles] was not intentional, and I would like to apologize for the fact that they fell at all.”

Nikkan Gendai is skeptical, saying once is possible. But twice? Come on.