An ex-employee, from an undisclosed financial institution in Japan, found himself in court due to allegations of a locker theft. Prosecution is seeking a notable precedent-setting penalty of 12 years’ imprisonment. The accusations and events of the trial remain under wraps due to ongoing legal proceedings, however, this case has attracted significant public attention because of the unusual stern punishment plea.

In Japan, such crimes are taken seriously, as they break the strong societal value of trust, especially when it involves financial institutions. As such, the prosecution's pursuit of a 12-year sentence for the ex-bank employee can be seen as a demonstration of enforcement against such acts of dishonesty and a message to people, deterring similar behaviors.

In the US and EU, theft cases involving bank employees would also be treated with appropriate severity. However, the actual sentence might depend on various elements including the severity of the crime, the amount stolen, previous convictions if any, etc. Public interest in such cases is also common as they undermine people's trust in financial institutions.