One policeman in Hokkaido seems to have gotten himself into some trouble over a hug:

SAPPORO — An assistant police inspector paid 3 million yen [24,357 U.S. dollars] to a woman earlier this month after she accused him of sexually harassing her even though he hugged her to calm her down, the prefectural police inspection office said.

The inspection office is investigating the incident even though it maintains that his actions do not constitute sexual harassment.

“What he did was part of his official duty to calm her down, and we think it’s no problem. However, his payment to the woman could cause a misunderstanding,” said an official at the inspection office.

The 58-year-old assistant inspector began in mid-January to visit the home of the woman in her 40s after she consulted him over a family problem.

When he visited her home in Sapporo in mid-June, the officer hugged the excited woman in a bid to calm her down, the inspection office said.

The following day, she called him at his workplace saying, “What you did was sexual harassment,” and threatened to report the case to his bosses.

It’s just a matter of time before those jerks holding up the “free hugs” signs will have to pay up for their harassment!