TOKYO (TR) – A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) soldier in custody over the alleged taking of illicit footage of a woman earlier this year has been arrested in a second case, reports Jiji Press (July 22).
In the second incident, Ayata Hatano, a 24-year-old 3rd class sergeant with JGSDF Camp Komakado, allegedly used a smartphone to film up the skirt of a girl riding a bus in Yokohama City on May 28.
He then sent the videos and images he had taken to acquaintances via social media on three occasions.
“I did it to satisfy my sexual desire,” the suspect was quoted by police in admitting to violating the Law Banning the Taking of Sexually Explicit Photographs.
On July 13, Japan enacted a new law that punishes photographing or filming a person in a sexually explicit manner without their consent. Violators face up to three years in prion or a maximum fine of 3 million yen.
Police first arrested Hatano over the alleged illicit filming of another woman in Shinagawa Ward in June. He has been prosecuted in that case.
During the investigation of the latter case, police analyzed the smartphone of Hatano and discovered the images of the woman in Yokohama.
