TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 32-year-old office worker for allegedly using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create and distribute obscene deepfake images of female track and field athletes, reports TBS News (Aug. 3).
Kenta Imoto, a resident of Himeji City in Hyogo Prefecture, faces charges of defamation and violating the Child Pornography Prohibition Act.
In February, Imoto allegedly used a generative AI website — which he accessed for a monthly subscription fee of about 3,000 yen — to manipulate photographs of three women in their 20s wearing their high school track uniforms. He transformed the photos into nude images and posted them on social media for public viewing, thereby defaming the victims.
Imoto is also facing child pornography charges stemming from a separate incident that same month. Acting on a request from a 17-year-old high school boy in Kagoshima Prefecture, Imoto allegedly created a nude deepfake from a photograph of a junior high school girl in her gym clothes during a sports festival. The subject of the photo is now a woman in her 40s, but the image depicted her as a minor.
According to investigators, the teenage boy sourced images of female athletes — including middle and high school students — from illegal social media uploads and messaged Imoto with specific requests. Police plan to refer the 17-year-old to prosecutors over his suspected involvement in violating child pornography laws.
Upon his arrest, Imoto admitted to the allegations.
“I was happy that people were pleased when I processed the images with AI. I did it because I wanted to see naked girls,” Imoto told investigators. “I mostly targeted female track club members because their uniforms are easy to process. I manipulated about 300 images and actually posted between 100 and 200 of them. Half of those were requested by the high school boy.”
During a search, police discovered approximately 3,800 obscene images and videos on Imoto’s smartphone, many featuring female track athletes.
According to the National Police Agency, 114 cases of minors falling victim to sexual deepfakes were confirmed last year alone, with the vast majority of victims being junior high and high school students. Police are increasing their vigilance as illicit photography and the malicious diffusion of deepfake pornography targeting female athletes continues to surge nationwide.
