Police in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, have arrested a 39-year-old teacher for violating the Child Welfare Act after he allegedly engaged in sexual acts with a female minor.
Police said Kunihiko Sugimoto, a junior high school teacher from Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture, is accused of committing sexual acts with the girl who is under the age of 18 several times from December to February, Kyodo News reported.
Police said Sugimoto, who was arrested on Tuesday, has admitted to the allegations. The school said he provided career guidance to students in the previous academic school year. It was not clear if the girl was a student at Sugimoto's school.
On Tuesday, the Otsu City Board of Education held a press conference at which it revealed receiving an anonymous tip by phone in early March about Sugimoto’s illicit behavior. The board then contacted police.
© Japan Today
26 Comments
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justasking
Minor doesn’t mean children. Don’t mix everything together.
Rodney
No mention of her age. My country 16 is consensual.
“anonymous tip”. My neighborhood constantly spies on me.
James
@Luddite
Generally speaking you are correct, However it depends on age. In my opinion a person who is 16 can decide for themselves I was 15 when I left home. I think setting the age of consent to 18 is a bit ludicrous and takes away the rights of young adults.
However I do think Teachers should not have sex with students as they are in a position of authority and entrusted with the guardianship of our children and should respect that responsibility rather than exploiting that position to groom young minds for a few moments of gratification. All I can say is the guy is lucky it wasn't one of my children.
Gareth Myles
@TrafficCone Marrying her is the honourable thing to do? That is medieval thinking. You are seriously proposing that an under-age child that has been exploited by an abuser should be offered up to him as a bride for a lifetime of suffering? Clearly, you believe the suffering of the girl is irrelevant.
itsonlyrocknroll
Unless the Prefectures enforce the removable and prosecution of predator teachers continued behavior's that constitutes a sex crime violating the Child Welfare Act.
Then there is an institutional failure to child and student safety that affects their ability to support and protect children and students.
To be clear an overview....
Japanese Educational System and Japanese Schools.
https://education.jnto.go.jp/en/school-in-japan/japanese-education-system/
Statements and opinions expressed here are highly defamatory, undermining Japan's schooling culture excellence, engagement in classroom instruction, which is essential for their learning.
These assumptions must be supported with clear stated evidence to then be investigated accordingly.
Mark
Schools better start background check on all teachers or this abuse will continue.
Parents send their kids to school trusting that they are in GOOD hands only to find out that these very same hands are violating their kids.
itsonlyrocknroll
The J teaching profession are dedicated to the point that many teachers suffer stress related illness, requiring supporting teacher professional development programs.
To suggest/generalize in such a manner that constitutes an direct attack on the reputation or integrity of a profession that tirelessly devotes sometimes a full six day week is an appalling slur.
Fighto!
Another sick pervert who needs to be locked away for a long time - and permanently banned from any contact with children.
Lord_Ecks
Not that I agree with them, but I believe the general idea is that the stigma it creates serves as a deterrent even in a first-case scenario. IE - If people know beforehand that they will be branded on a list for life for their actions they will be less likely to do so, even as a first-time offense.
BFPF1159
nandakandamanda
you say it takes two to tango. however YOU are the adult. children are children also if 13-yr old girls were sending you looks that knocked you backwards it makes you seem a little sus.... maybe you shouldn't work with 13 year olds if they make you feel uncomfortable. just a thought...
Mat
Explain to me how such a thing would help for a first offense? If he's not on a list already, having a list does not help. Therefore, such a list does NOTHING to stop such crimes.
lillibet
A lot of countries have sex offenders lists, but they in no way cover the countless thousands who slip under the radar. This is a worldwide problem, where so many men think and do what they like to young girls and women. The chances of wiping out worldwide misogyny and sex offenders is zero. Sorry, but that is the truth.
Kazuaki Shimazaki
@LudditeApr. 5 05:51 pm JST
She's just said to be "under 18". She might be 17, for all you know. Besides, I think it's healthy to still draw a distinction between a case when the minor (or anyone) really did not consent and a case when she consented but the law deems her consent void ab initio. Allow me to suggest the unwert of the former is worse.
Shirokuma4812
Now, if Japan only had a SEX OFFENDERS list like is America. Just type in the area and it shows where they are. But, in Japan, they just melt away into the background and might be back again. Terrible system here!
itsonlyrocknroll
If Kunihiko Sugimoto is found to be capable, the article suggests he has admitted to the allegations.
Then Kunihiko Sugimoto could be subject in court to the assertion he betrayed the mutual trust and respect that supports an effective essential relationship to fulfil the positive interaction for achievement between teacher and student.
Kunihiko Sugimoto could face the deplorable denunciation of a predator.
itsonlyrocknroll
Kunihiko Sugimoto, a junior high school teacher from Kusatsu, Shiga has thrown his career, possibly his marriage, little in the article of personal details, for an attraction, the irresistible need, allure to satisfy fulfil an inducement he couldn’t resist.
He couldn't inhibit the desire to indulge inappropriate sexual relations with a minor.
The inevitable consequences, temptation to have or to do, even though he knew he shouldn't.
Kunihiko Sugimoto if found accountable will in later life come to relive his fundamental weakness /imperfections and rightly so.
He deserves to be made an example of.
Shame on him.
Michael Machida
Why would a grown man take a chance at this childs' play when your career, family, society, and all the rest ~ are gone in the time you are... done?
Stick to women your own age or close to it, gentlemen.
Mark
Age should not be a factor, some kids are able to fend off a rapist at age as young as 12 or 13 others are not as strong and may end up getting raped and not even reporting it. Even if a child is 18 or 19 does NOT in any way mean they are capable of protecting themselves from a slick smooth talking rapist or pervert.
purple_depressed_bacon
So when's that sex offenders register being implemented, Japan?
nandakandamanda
When I was teaching in a Junior High in Kansai some of the 13-yr old girls were sending me looks that knocked me backwards. It was almost physical, like laser beams, and I had trouble avoiding their eyes. I knew they were doing it deliberately, and I knew they knew it was troubling me. Just saying, sometimes it takes two to tango.
Coulda been
That is one sick school environment.
Luddite
It isn’t “sex with minors”. It’s rape, children cannot consent to sex.
TrafficCone
He can get off if he marries her. It seems like the honorable thing to do.