According to the Yomiuri news site, the principal of Takasago Municipal Shoyo Junior High School in the city of Takasago, 30 miles west of Kobe, was referred to the local police in December last year.
He had been reported on suspicion of theft after he allegedly poured a large coffee – worth 180 yen, currently around 97p – into a cup that was meant for a regular coffee – worth 110 yen, or around 59p.
Eventually, the local branch of the Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office decided they wouldn’t prosecute.
Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education hauled him over the coals for his self-serve coffee machine antics before handing him a disciplinary dismissal.
He admitted to pouring more than he had paid for on seven separate occasions between June and December 2023.
In front of the board, he explained: ‘I put it in by mistake the first time, but the staff didn’t tell me, so I did it because I could get the drinks at a cheaper price.’
And who among us hasn’t done something regrettable for a little extra caffeine in the morning?
