TOKYO (TR) – In the first application in Tokyo of a law that seeks to restrict the distribution of sexually explicit content for revenge purposes, police on Friday announced the arrest of a 50-year-old male for releasing illicit images of his former girlfriend, reports the Sankei Shimbun (March 27).
Between January and February, Yasuhiro Muramatsu, a company employee, is alleged to have posted five nude photos of his ex-girlfriend on Twitter.
Muramatsu, who took the photos before the relationship with the woman ended last October, has admitted to the allegations.
The release of illicit photos or videos of a former acquaintance or spouse is prohibited under the law, which came into force in November.
The measure intends to combat a rise in cases dubbed “revenge porn,” a tactic that was brought to the public’s attention after a former boyfriend of an 18-year-old girl uploaded images of her to social-networking sites before and after he killed her in Tokyo’s Mitaka City in 2013.
Convicted felons of the law face up to three years in prison or a fine of 500,000 yen.
In the case involving Muramatsu, the images showed the victim’s back side but not her face. However, the contributions included a nickname that was recognized by an acquaintance.
According to police, a smartphone belonging to Muramatsu contained approximately 100 images of the woman, reports Fuji News Network (March 28).