LAOS (TR) – Local police here have arrested a 52-year-old Japanese man on suspicion of child prostitution after he was found in a hotel room with three underage girls, reports Kyodo News (Apr. 9).
The suspect was detained following a police raid on his accommodation in the popular tourist city of Luang Prabang. During the forced entry, authorities rescued the three girls, who were between the ages of 12 and 16 at the time of the incident.
According to investigative sources, the victims testified that they were coerced into spending time with the man in exchange for cash. The girls also alleged that he secretly filmed them while engaging in sexual acts.
Crackdown
The arrest comes amid a growing crackdown by Laotian authorities on sex tourism. Child prostitution by foreign nationals, including Japanese tourists, has become a serious issue in the country, prompting police to launch full-scale investigations into the exploitation of minors.
In June last year, the Japanese Embassy in Laos issued a warning on its website after posts suggesting child prostitution in Laos by Japanese people had been confirmed. “Not only will these be subject to crackdowns under Laotian law, but they will also be punished under Japanese law as crimes committed overseas,” the embassy said.
In the case involving the 52-year-old man, the embassy confirmed that it received a preliminary report from local authorities in January. The report stated that a Japanese national had been detained on December 8 of last year on suspicion of the rape of a minor.
The embassy is currently working to verify the full details of the latest incident as the local criminal investigation continues.
