OKAYAMA (TR) — Police here have arrested a 47-year-old unemployed man for allegedly filming up the skirts of teenage girls and groping them on trains, uncovering a massive stash of illicit media on his smartphone in the process, reports RSK Sanyo TV (May 14).
The suspect, a resident of the Yata area in Mabicho, Kurashiki City, is accused of violating the Law Banning the Taking of Sexually Explicit Photograph, as well as the Okayama Prefectural Nuisance Prevention Ordinance.
According to police, the man approached a teenage girl from behind inside a train station at around 8:05 a.m. on March 1, 2026, and used his smartphone to record tosatsu (voyeur) a video up her skirt.
Five days later, on March 6 at approximately 7:00 a.m., he targeted another teenage girl on a moving train. While he attempted to film under her skirt, the lighting was too dark to capture a clear video. Frustrated in his attempt, he then proceeded to grope the girl’s buttocks.
Officers were already on high alert and patrolling the area following tips about a suspicious person operating on the transit system.
Police witnessed the suspect groping the second victim in the act, which led them to inspect his smartphone and launch a full investigation. He was officially arrested on Thursday.
Upon his arrest, the suspect admitted to the allegations without hesitation. “My will is weak, and I succumb to my desires,” he told investigators.
A subsequent review of his smartphone revealed a staggering collection of more than 2,300 videos and still images, all believed to be upskirt shots taken between 2022 and 2026.
Police are continuing their investigation to uncover the full extent of his suspected serial offending.
