AOMORI (TR) – A court here this week handed prison sentences to a former temple priest and a former Aomori Prefectural Police inspector over the sexual assault of a high school girl at a rental room in Aomori City, reports NHK (Oct. 29).
On October 29, the Aomori District Court sentenced the former priest, Yoshiaki Mizuno, 47, to five years and six months in prison, while the former police officer, Jun Sasaki, 55, received a three-year and six-month term.
The pair were convicted of conspiring to sexually assault the victim, whom they met via a dating app in November 2022. Mizuno faced additional charges for violating the Child Pornography Prohibition Act for filming the assault.
During the trial, prosecutors sought seven years for Mizuno and five years for Sasaki. The defense had argued for an acquittal, claiming the victim was not in a condition that prevented her from expressing a lack of consent.
Presiding judge Yasuhiro Tsunoda rejected the defense’s claims, condemning the act as a “highly planned and malicious crime” in which the men created an environment where the victim felt unable to resist.
“The fear and shock the victim faced were immense,” Judge Tsunoda stated in his ruling. “The degree to which both defendants infringed upon the victim’s freedom is significant.”
The court identified Mizuno as the ringleader, noting his “heavy criminal responsibility.” While Sasaki was viewed as having played a subordinate role, the judge emphasized that his sudden appearance during the assault made it difficult for the victim to refuse, noting that his contribution to the crime was substantial.
