Toyohashi City in central Japan says it has decided that changing diapers of nursing home residents in an open corridor without partitions amounts to sexual abuse.

The city released a report on Wednesday on its probe into alleged problems at Tsutsuji-so, a care facility for the elderly operated by the city.

At the facility, staff conducted such diaper changes in the corridor in summer last year and this year because residents were staying there during the season as air conditioning systems in rooms were out of order.

The city's officials found that such diaper changes for seven residents last year and this year are deemed as sexual abuse.

The report says other staff members failed to take appropriate measures despite knowing about the conduct. It determined such inaction as professional negligence as caregivers.

The city also found cases of leaving residents without necessary diaper changes. There was also misappropriation of residents' deposits by staff.

In a news conference, the facility's director Oi Hideaki admitted poor awareness of abuse among the staff, including himself. He promised to make thorough efforts to improve awareness among all employees.

The city has urged the facility to submit an improvement plan within a month. It also plans to report the case to the prefectural government as soon as the final results are compiled.