This is breaking news out of Fukuoka. A 69 year old American English conversation teacher has been arrested on charges of child molestation. There are reportedly as many as 40 possible victims in the case. The abuse happened over a period of over a decade. He is also accused of having taken photographs and videos of the children.
The crimes are said to have happened at his home. Police uncovered hundreds of videotapes and other evidence of the crimes. Most of the victims were in elementary school at the time of the crimes. The suspect reportedly denied the charges and claimed the videos were taken so that when the children grow up he could show them how they’ve matured.
The man’s name has not been released at the time of this writing.
I debated whether I should report on this and let it sit a few hours, but I think that its something that needs to come out in English language news as well as Japanese language news. If the story gets much bigger, non-Japanese teachers in Japan, especially those with their own schools, or those who interact with young children may be asked about it either directly or indirectly, or may think it’s a good idea to proactively address these topics with employers or students’ parents.
I’ll update this post if I see any big changes in the story.
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As an English teacher in Japan, I agree with you totally – this story needs to be shared. Please do update us as you hear more! Thanks for sharing with us.
Thank you for sharing this news in English. I hope this news will be out to the public as I think it is important for world to know that Japanese Government needs to tighten the law against child molesters like in US. The obscene child-like sex object, images, games etc. in Japan should not be tolerated and should be banned. I just cannot understand the fact that such materials are on the market and it is accepted in general public!?!?
Have not ventured towards the Japanese news wires on the whole for a while, but many thanks for bringing this to our attention.
As for taking pictures though, remember that in Japan the mere possession of child pornography is not an offence, if it is only for personal use. Whether that carries over to the actual recording/taking photos I am not sure. Not saying I condone it in any way shape or form (couldn’t be further from the truth), but it sounds like the videos might be depicting something more than mere pics of naked children.
I haven’t seen any new news on this, only rehashing of the same story in other newspapers.
Late last year someone reported that female children were being abused. He was arrested a few times early this year and it culminated in this final arrest during which over 600 videos (reportedly depicting the acts in question) were found.
Some reports state that he had told the children that if they told anyone their parents would be arrested along with him.
Such a sad situation with so many victims… I’ll update here in the comments if any new significant news comes out.
Japanese Government needs to tighten the law against child molesters like in US. The obscene child-like sex object, images, games etc. in Japan should not be tolerated and should be banned. I just cannot understand the fact that such materials are on the market and it is accepted in general public!?!?
I went to a 7-11 a while back and next to the ice cream freezer was the ultra nasty manga with images of girls in School uniz getting used and abused. These people (combini stores) position everything with a strategy. How they strategized that is beyond me.
I hope the guy fries but I live in a relatively small inaka and 3 Japanese teachers have been arrested for sex with minor girls in 6 years. The creepy attention given to girls in uniz has aLOT of bad side effects and the way police treat female vics makes these crimes just the tip of the huge and unseen or ignored iceberg.
F**k you!!! You piece of shit, when the Japanese lock you up
I hope they rape you with a red hot molten steel rod up your
asshole you f**ker.
What the f**k is it with Americans and sex? This American is filming
little Japanese boys and girls, fondling them, making videos at his
‘English school’ here in Kyushu, I’m almost half tempted to go down
there and make application to beat his ass to a f**king pulp.
He just destroyed English as a second language for children in this
country.
Chris, thanks for the detailed comment. I have to say I agree. I’ve also seen some crazy stuff first hand, including crimes that went unreported, unpublicized, and even unpunished not despite, but BECAUSE they were crimes against children by teachers or parents. Acting “to protect the innocent”… can be a very short-sighted solution in cases like this. Sometimes trying to “protect” victims takes away their voices and complicates the healing process.
I just hope the victims are able to get help if they need it, and I hope that the media doesn’t misconstrue this kind of crime as a “foreigner in Japan” problem. That could do a lot more harm than good.
Tim, thanks for the comment and the strong feelings (this is a family blog so I threw in a few asterisks so your comment would get through the spam filter).
You actually bring up an interesting point though. Once the case goes down, I wonder how he’ll be punished. In a lower profile case with less victims, he might just be deported to the US, especially given his age, but this is a high profile case with at least 40 victims over a couple of decades.
Another good point you make is that the 40 or so kids he molested are not the only victims, every kid that hears about this, and every well-intentioned non-Japanese teacher in Japan may end up victims of this guy.
This is precisely correct, I posted this news on a forum I’m on and I honestly think that if the Japanese want any compensation or indemnity in this case, is to turn him over to us, I assure the Japanese, his head would be cut off and we would impale it on a post in the public square.
The world has had enough of this assault on children, right now, in Scotland, there is a massive case going on over there about high level pedophiles in the Scottish Government and law enforcement that systematically sexually abused and raped a partially mentally retarded girl and there is absolutely nothing these people can do. They are being victimized by this sexual perversion and these people can’t find relief anywhere.
These pedophile rings are now out of control and I believe the fallout are cases like this guy in Kyushu just arrested after ten years of this activity. Personally, I will be drawing up a letter in Japanese and will be forwarding it to the police and court system in Kyushu where this guy is incarcerated pleading for the death penalty if he is found guilty and criminal. Let Japan be the first in the world to announce we will no longer tolerate anymore abuse and violence against the most innocent in our societies.
This is no joke, the English speaking world needs to bring the death penalty back and unless we do these cases are going to continue to traumatize an entire generation of children.
PS I apologize for my earlier inappropriate remarks, this is an incredibly serious situation, not only in Japan but all over the world.
Another good point, Tim. Thanks a lot for the continued insight…
It’s also possible that this arrest could lead to a whole network of people being found, although the original news story mentioned videotapes, but not a computer. It’s certainly possible he was trying to find like-minded criminals to connect with. We’ve got nothing but conjecture to work with now though until more information is released.
I think there’s still a lot more to this story yet to come out. None of it will change the fact of what a tragedy this is.
“Let Japan be the first in the world to announce we will no longer tolerate anymore abuse and violence against the most innocent in our societies.”
You seem oblivious to the fact that it is not illegal to posess child porn in Japan. They have continued to make this situation worse and their odd ignoring of international pressure is mind boggling.
Off course the guy should get f___ed hard by a gang of cellmates but he probably came to this country (as I’m sure others do) because they are almost protected by Japans system.
When you fire off that letter why not write one to the powers that be in Japan and ask them why child porn is not illegal in all forms and manner. Japan has made itself a haven for twisted fu**s
“You seem oblivious to the fact that it is not illegal to posess child porn in Japan. They have continued to make this situation worse and their odd ignoring of international pressure is mind boggling.”
Wrong choice of words, I am oblivious to nothing, but I know what crime is, especially towards children, the Japanese deserve whatever “their” government gives them, even it it means children getting exploited, raped, molested, filmed and victimized, I have no sympathy for the Japanese people – their appalling ignorance is stunning.
There is no “Japanese system”, the system is the people, when it becomes unbearable to your average Japanese on the street, i.e., parents who’s child being fondled and molested, you will see them act, it has happened before when a Japanese couple lost their child to violence or negligence.
Make the individual Japanese feel the pain. There is nothing that can stop child porn, pedophile, sexual molestation, only individuals can stand up, walk into the court of the pedophile rapist standing there before the judge, and at point blank range fire a round through his head. Then you will see it stop; violence works. If it was my child I would kill him regardless the consequences.
In Japan, compared to the United States, Eastern Europe, Israel, child porn is mild in comparison, the reason people can’t get on the internet or have a long wait using broadband at night, is because porn movies are being viewed by a huge male population in Japan, most of it made outside of Japan.
“Wrong choice of words”
Well seeing how we basically see this in the same way then yeah, I chose my words wrong. Your response coulda been written by me. It’s nice to see that others feel as stronlgy about the governments pathetic apathy as I do.
You got my apologies for a poor choice in wording.