A male worker at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has been indicted on charges of stalking a subordinate in her 20s, including following her and entering her home without permission, sources said Thursday.

The man, 39-year-old Atsushi Takabayashi, admitted to his alleged violation of the antistalking law at the first hearing of his trial at Tokyo District Court on June 18.

Prosecutors demanded a two-year prison sentence, saying that the defendant committed a malicious crime using his position as the chief of a section, while the defense sought a fine. A ruling is set to be handed down Tuesday.

According to the prosecution¡¯s opening statement, Takabayashi, who developed one-sided feelings for the woman, sent her messages beginning in April last year through a work messaging tool, such as that he saw her at the station and that she is cute.

The defendant secretly photographed her, her driver¡¯s license and her key at work. He continued to message her despite being instructed by his employer last December to cease such activities, the prosecution also said, adding that he entered her home this March with a duplicate key he had made without permission and stole her underwear.

A statement from the woman was read at the hearing, in which she said that the defendant was her superior and that she had no choice but to reply to him because he discussed work in his messages.

She also said that she was forced to move because of the incident and that she even now cannot feel at ease unless she checks her room after returning home.

Takabayashi apologized at the hearing, saying, ¡°I couldn¡¯t control my curiosity and acted out of interest.¡±

An official at the ministry said that the arrest of the employee was ¡°very regrettable¡± and that the ministry is considering how to respond. The official added that no disciplinary action has been taken against the employee, now on administrative leave, as the ministry has not been able to interview him.