Police in Akita have arrested a 50-year-old police sergeant on suspicion of soliciting a minor for sex. The suspect, Ko Shimizukawa, is accused of paying for sex and performing lewd acts with a female high school student at a hotel last October, Sankei Shimbun reported.
Police said the girl, then 15, was under vocational guidance last December when she revealed that she and Shimizukawa became acquainted on a membership-based social networking site.
Police said Shimizukawa paid the girl, who also lives in Akita Prefecture, to meet up with him in exchange for sex at a hotel. Shimizukawa said he was aware that the girl was a minor and under the age of 18.
© Japan Today
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Brian Wheway
A 50 year old police sergeant! she was 15 and he paid her for sex, he should know better, Also since he's paid her, that make her a prostitute, has she declared her income to the government? will she charge for tax evasion and prostitution?
Daryl
So she accepted the cash, does the deed, then over time feels bad and complains to her mum about it, then he gets arrested... This is happens all the time in Japan. Both are stupid in my opinion.
Thunderbird2
She's stupid, he's a pervert.
Vince Black
The girl needs to be punished or at least her family. She knew what was happening and is just as guilty as the guy
The Original Wing
I have no data to back this up, but just as a casual observation from reading JapanToday regularly... does it not seem like most of the people involved in cases like this have jobs that involve protecting, helping, or taking care of young people? Why do police officers and teachers and school execs seem to by 10x more likely to be involved in such cases than chefs, salespeople, or sys admins?
jcapan
Just out of morbid curiosity, at what age would you see the guy as more guilty--if she were 12, 10, 7? Give me a number Vince. Had she willingly taken the cash from a pedophile at 7 would you still say she equally at fault? In your expert opinion, at what age are minors as mature and capable of making such decisions as 50 year old officers of the law?
Strangerland
Dude, she was 15 years old. What's wrong with you?
Strangerland
Have you checked whether guys in these positions are 10x more likely to be involved in such cases, or whether the media is 10x more likely to report on incidents with guys in such cases because of the fact that they are police officers, teachers and school execs?
Mizu no Oto
It was only just in the 90s enjo kosai was the still the thing where underage girls strove to earn the money to afford themselves high end brand purses and likes. All for fashion. There was a huge write up on in in 'WSJ' then.
Tony G
They both AGREED to meet up, and have sex, in exchange for money. No one forced her to go on a 'membership-based social networking site'.
Illegal, yes. No debate.
Is the girl a victim?No. No debate.
Bugle Boy of Company B
Sounds like he shouldn't have paid her then!
Bugle Boy of Company B
Age is just a number, right?
JJ Jetplane
She’s 15 and he’s 50. I don’t care if she kept coming on to him, he still should have known better. There is no equally at fault. All the responsibility falls on him not to engage in sexual acts with a minor.
Serrano
Akita police sergeant arrested for paying high school girl for sex
What! He needs to do some time in prison.
The girl needs to be punished or at least her family.
The girl received vocational guidance in Dec. I hope that taught her something. Leave her family out of it.
doel jusino
She should be arrested for Senior Citizen Abuse & refund his money ... How dare her take advantage of a 50 year old ... These High School girls are Trouble ... Lack of Parental Control & discipline ...... ~(O)~
oyatoi
Seems like she already had a vocation; the oldest one!
Mlodinow
She was 15. The reason there is a statutory minimum age is because minors are prone to error of judgement and are thus vulnerable to exploitation (like in this case). You are advocating that statutory rape is okay, which is just plain wrong.
Do the hustle
The Japanese police at the finest! The moto oh the Japanese police is, to protect and serve (yourself).
I was not surprised to tead they had had become acquainted on a SN website. It is called grooming a minor where I come from and carries a mandatory sentence of seven years in prison. This old pervert will not get much more than a three month pay cut.
sensei258
Wanna bet there's no followup showing he received no real punishment. He's in effect admitted to statutory rape and being a pedophile, but the only punishment he will receive is a playful ribbing by his coworkers
sensei258
Fast forward to a verbal warning, and a 10% reduction in pay for three months
Bugle Boy of Company B
Oh, is the second part illegal?
Vince Black
Ok get down off your high horse there. A 15 year old knows more about sex than you'd want to think. Enough to know that she could sell it to a creep that was willing to pay enough for it
Derrick Smith
Enjo Kosai is apparently still popular in 2019.
FYI for those who haven't researched how the consent laws work.
Strangerland
What about a 14 year old? Or 13? You never actually answered the question.
juminRhee
"50 year old sergeant pays for sx"
Now we know why he is 50 and only a sergeant. Should've been an inspector or chief by now.
jcapan
People tend to get on their high horse when defenders of statutory rape start holding forth. It's bad enough that many of you see nothing wrong with this crime or divide blame evenly, but a fair number feel the need to downvote anyone critical of the man's act. Here's a great idea, go into to your workplace, local pub or church starting today and strike up a conversation about this topic, presenting your view that middle aged men should be able to purchase 15 year olds for sexual acts and see how much community love you're shown. Beyond the pale or IOW what the internet is for.
Red suns
There should be a national law that compels hotels to ask i.d. to those who seemingly look like under 30yrs of age in order to decrease enko incidents. Refuse entry if below 18 and if not blood related to the partner.
As of now, those JC’s and JK’s can easily pass as OL’s (i bet it’s also the same when you get a peek underneath their pantsu) when going in and out of hotels.
Nippori Nick
Strangerland-your comment "Dude she was 15..etc" is the exact comment in my head when I read that orginal remark about tax evasion.
Seems to me some need reminding that at age 15 your brain has not yet fully formed and you are still legally a child. Talking about tax evasion is just weird/
Nippori Nick
To me she is a victim. Maybe if she were your daughter or sister you might think a little differently?
Strangerland
These guys seem to think that 15 year old children have the mental capacity of adults, but they don't want to say at what age this adulthood manifests in children. I'm not clear if it is on their 15th bday, or their 14th or their 13th, or if indeed they feel children are born with the mental capacity of adults. And they really don't want to elaborate on that for some reason. I wonder why. Hmm...
Bugle Boy of Company B
Everyone knows that girls magically become able to make rational decisions the moment they turn 18. Hence the law made as it is.
Andrew Crisp
Interesting that in most if not all these cases only the guy gets charged, while the girl never gets charged with breaching anti prostitution laws which in all these cases the girls are clearly knowingly doing that.
Strangerland
Dude, she's 15 years old. What's wrong with you? You do realize that girls that age can't even legally consent don't you? And that there's actually a very good reason why that is the case?
Jesus, talk about morally decrepit.
LearJet
I learned many years ago, I think from Japan Today about rampant issues of school aged girls (grade school) selling themselves on a public notice posting site to meet men for sex to make money, so they can buy expensive items their parents were unable to afford, apparently the problem continues.
lostrune2
The money better be worth it