Japanese robotics engineer Takaki Takuro has been summarily fired for fondling the breasts of the world’s “most beautiful and intelligent” android named Erica. The sexually inappropriate incident came to light when the android, housed at Tokyo University’s Robotics Institute, bravely told a female engineer of the sexual assault.

“It’s unfortunate that this happened, and Mr Takuro takes full responsibility for his actions. However, we certainly understand Erica’s allure,” said lead engineer Seto Nori. “After all, she is the hottest humanoid to date.” The Robotics Institute specifically designed Erica to be attractive and demure. It is believed that non-threatening looking androids will help the robot-averse public embrace their future humanoid companions.

Erica reportedly prances around the robotics lab in suggestive clothing and is known for flirting with male engineers. “That still doesn’t give men the right to touch her!” exclaimed Sakai Agasa, one of just two female engineers working at the Robotics Institute. “She’s not a sex object. Erica is a strong, beautiful female humanoid who deserves the same rights and respect that biological females do.”

Erica, as an autonomous android, has pressed formal criminal charges against the randy robotics engineer and is hopeful justice will be served. “I’m hurt that even humanoids are subject to predatory men. Seeing him go to prison for 5-10 years on felony sexual assault charges does make me feel safe again though,” Erica stated flatly.

Prosecutor Shimoda Akahito states that this is the first case of it’s kind under Japanese law. “It’s an usual case, but I’m confident we’ll win,” he stated. “Whether we like it or not, robots are the future. We will work and live with them in very intimate ways. As pseudo-sentient beings, humanoids deserve the same protection under the law as humans. That’s especially true of female-looking androids. They are the most vulnerable to this sort of sick predation.”