OSAKA (TR) – Osaka Prefectural Police on Saturday announced the arrest of a 59-year-old man for allegedly kidnapping allegedly calling out to a runaway high school boy and taking him to his home, reports the Sakei Shimbun (Feb. 8).
In early February, Shinichi Imamura, a resident of Sennan City, allegedly called out to the male high school student in Osaka City. He asked, “If you don’t have anywhere to go, why don’t you stay over?” He then took him to his home.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of kidnapping a minor, Imamura denied the charges. He said, “I just gave him a place to sleep. I didn’t kidnap him.”
On January 7, a total of four children — including the male high school student and three others, all aged between 13 and 17 and living in Hyogo Prefecture — were rescued from Imamura’s home.
None of them were injured, police said.
The four are believed to have been frequenting the “Gurishita” area in the Dotonbori area of Osaka City. The moniker is a reference to the popular meeting place under (shita) the Glico advertisement.
On February 6, police received a call from the family of another girl, saying that she had not returned home. Location information from the girl’s smartphone led officers to Imamura’s home. The next day, investigators visited the home and found the four children. The other girl was later found near Gurishita and taken into custody.
