The Tokyo District Prosecutors Office has decided not to prosecute a female NHK reporter who made a 110 call last Nov 9, that turned out to be false.

The 28-year-old reporter, who was assigned to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat, called 110 and said she was walking along a street in Shinjuku Ward when a man riding a bicycle stole her shoulder bag, TV Asahi reported.

During the investigation that followed, police said they examined street surveillance camera footage which showed the woman before the alleged attack. She had no shoulder bag. There was also no man on a bicycle who came near her.

The woman later admitted the call was a hoax. She was quoted as saying that she had made the false 110 call about her stolen purse hoping to hide the fact that she had lost her company cell phone.

NHK released a statement saying the reporter had received disciplinary action as of Dec 26.

© Japan Today