An instructor from Okayama University is facing disciplinary actions after allegedly forcing a subordinate to undertake an unnecessarily lengthy six-hour phone call. The incident, considered as phone harassment, happened within the scope of teleworking guidelines. The specific details regarding the nature of the phone call are not yet divulged. The incident has reignited discussions around work practices, professional boundaries, and wellbeing in the Japanese education sector amidst remote work norms.

In Japan, such incidents are taken seriously, as they reflect broader societal issues like power dynamics, mental health, and ethics surrounding the locally termed "power harassment". This incident sits at the intersection of digital work life and societal norms, which is highly debated in Japan in light of recent work-from-home practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the US or the EU, it is probable that this incident would also prompt an investigation and possible disciplinary action, due to general norms related to harassment and labor rights. However, countries outside Japan might lean more heavily on legal frameworks and labor laws when addressing similar cases, because "power harassment" is not explicitly defined or widely recognized as in Japan.