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A 31-year-old Japanese man from Fukushima faces a two-year prison sentence after being caught secretly filming 1,000 women bathing in hot springs using hidden cameras disguised as fake rocks. The man was arrested in May after a woman at a Yamagata prefecture hot spring noticed unusual reflections in a rock, leading her to discover the concealed camera.
After the woman reported the suspicious rock, police retrieved it and later apprehended the man when he returned to collect the camera. He admitted to purchasing a telephoto lens online and crafting a realistic rock structure using clay and brown plastic to hide the camera. To further conceal the setup, he wrapped the camera cable in brown tape and powered it with a portable battery.
Dressed as a mountain climber, the man hid behind a camouflage net while positioning the camera to film discreetly. The footage recovered by police revealed 44 victims, but the man confessed to filming at multiple hot springs since 2022, estimating around 1,000 victims.
Additionally, the man had prior convictions for possessing child pornography. Prosecutors have called for a two-year prison sentence, citing the planned and repetitive nature of his crime, which they described as highly harmful. The verdict is expected on September 17.
The case has sparked outrage among Japanese netizens, with many expressing that the two-year sentence is too lenient. One commenter argued, "It should be two years times the number of victims, as they could suffer lifelong consequences if the footage is shared online."
Secretly filming in public spaces is a common issue in Japan. In 2022, 5,737 such cases were reported by the Japan National Police Agency, an increase from previous years. Penalties vary by region, with Tokyo imposing up to six months in jail or fines of up to 500,000 yen (US$3,500) for similar offenses.
Source: SCMP
