FUKUOKA (TR) – A court here last month convicted a man in his 50s of raping his adopted daughter and sexually abusing his younger biological daughter, reports TBS News (Aug. 16).
On July 31, the Kokura Branch of the Fukuoka District Court sentenced the unnamed man, who lives in Kitakyushu City, to 10 years in prison.
Between October 8 and 18, 2021, the man took advantage of his adopted daughter — then 19 years old — being unable to resist in sexually assaulting her, according to the verdict.
Further, between around 6:00 p.m. on March 23, 2023 and around 3:00 a.m. the following day, he committed indecent acts on his biological daughter — then 14 years old — including directly touching her breasts and lower body and kissing her on the lips.
The man continuously sexually and physically abused his adopted daughter from at least the age of 10. During the abuse, she was unable to resist and a relationship was established in which she was at the mercy of her father, the court said.
The frequency of the sexual assaults was from three to four times a week, depending on the time of the assault. The sexual abuse continued despite the daughter having become pregnant and undergoing an abortion.
“Extremely despicable”
At the final hearing, the prosecution stated of the father’s sexual abuse, “The manner of the crime was extremely despicable and malicious, and the consequences were severe and serious.” It went on, “There is no room for leniency in his motive, and his decision-making deserves extremely strong condemnation.”
The prosecution, which had sought the 10-year term handed down, also argued that there is a significant risk of him reoffending.
“Even if we take into full consideration the circumstances favorable to the defendant, such as his admission of the facts, in order to prevent reoffending and encourage him to show deep remorse, it is essential that he receive thorough correctional education in a correctional facility for a considerable period of time,” the prosecution said.
The defense argued that the defendant suffered from a mental disorder that made it difficult for him to build normal interpersonal relationships. It also argued that the defendant’s weak support system from those around him should be taken into consideration.
Furthermore, they argued that the defendant’s biological mother’s desire to provide financial support for her grandchildren — the victims — was a mitigating factor in the defendant’s favor.
“I’ll abandon you”
In handing down the ruling, presiding judge Junpei Miyoshi detailed the sexual abuse of the adopted daughter. Although the daughter did not want to have sex with her father, she gave up on resisting because showing such behavior would anger her father, resulting in violence against her and threats. He told her, “I’ll abandon you.”
The daughter was constantly trying to gauge her father’s mood. At times, she pretended to be in a romantic relationship to please him, all while enduring the sexual abuse.
As a result, the daughter became pregnant, not once but twice. Fearing that a second abortion would cause her to lose her ability to conceive, she gave birth to a child, fathered by her father.
“Disregard for parental responsibilities”
As for the crimes against his biological daughter, the presiding judge recognized that “the father’s behavior was heinous, treating her solely as an object of sexual desire,” including by taking her hand and forcing her to touch his lower body, saying things like “please.”
The court also pointed out that the crime was committed at night when the biological daughter, who had been temporarily placed in the custody of a child consultation center after the eldest daughter had left home with her newborn child, returned home. The court said it was “a crime that shows no regard for one’s responsibilities as a parent.”
The court described the father’s criminal responsibility as “serious.” Even taking into account factors favorable to the father, such as his lack of a criminal record and his having fully admitted the facts and apologized, the court concluded that “a long prison sentence is unavoidable.”
Regarding the defense’s argument that the defendant’s criminal responsibility was diminished due to a mental disorder, the court dismissed this claim. “The defendant naturally understood that parent and child should not have sexual intercourse, and controlled his eldest daughter’s behavior and kept quiet to prevent those around him from finding out,” the judge said. “As a result, the sexual abuse did not come to light even when the child consultation center temporarily took custody of adopted daughter after her abortion.”
Presiding judge Miyoshi concluded, “There is no indication that the defendant’s criminal responsibility was diminished.”
Furthermore, regarding the defendant’s mother’s statement that she wanted to provide money for her grandchildren, the court said, “While this is expected to be of help to the victims in the future, it does not affect the defendant’s criminal responsibility.”
As the defense did not appeal by the deadline of August, the 10-year prison sentence of the Fukuoka District Court’s Kokura Branch became final.
