TOKYO (TR) – The National Police Agency on Monday announced the apprehension of 99 men and women across Japan in connection with child pornography cases between March and April, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (Apr. 27).
The sting was part of an international joint investigation involving seven countries and regions — including Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong — tasked with eradicating online child sexual exploitation.
This was Japan’s second time participating in the joint investigation, with the first being last year. Running from March 23 to April 17, this year’s investigation involved 382 searches of locations across the seven countries and regions and the seizing of 116 computers, 340 mobile phones, 25 tablet devices and 140 external storage media.
A total of 445 individuals, aged 12 to 72, were targeted for arrest. In Japan, twelve were arrested and 87 were referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Child Prostitution and Pornography Prohibition Act and non-consensual sexual intercourse.
The arrested Japanese individuals, aged 14 to 72, included 25 middle and high school students, as well as local government officials, company executives and university students. Four women were arrested, three of whom were high school students.
Based on information provided by Singaporean authorities, there was a case where an unemployed man in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of making child pornography accessible to an unspecified number of file-sharing software users.
