crime

Man arrested for molesting elementary school girl in bookstore

62 Comments

Police in Tokyo have arrested a 20-year-old man on suspicion of sexually molesting an elementary school girl in a bookstore in June.

According to police, Shunsuke Nishijma, a part-time worker, is accused of groping the girl’s breasts in the bookstore in Suginami Ward. Police said Nishijima has admitted to the charge and quoted him as saying he got excited when he first saw the girl and couldn’t control the impulse to touch her. He said he has always been turned on by young girls.

Police said Nishijima told them he saw the girl, whom he doesn’t know, as she walked along a street and followed her to the bookstore. When he was sure no staff or other customers were looking, he pretended to bump into the girl and groped her breasts, then quickly left the store.

Police said Nishijima was identified from store surveillance camera footage.

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62 Comments
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There is no excuse for this. Having said that there is an underlying strand of Japanese culture that infantilises women and fantasises on young girls that plays in to this kind of perversion. As long as this is seen as a normal part of culture people like this will convince them selves their behaviour is acceptable so as to justify their urges.

26 ( +31 / -5 )

Kentarogaijin....

Prejudices are for silly people..

Well, a few years back, close to 40% of Japanese produced porn had the "actress" wearing school uniform.

21 ( +25 / -4 )

if I saw him…. I wouldn’t be able to control my fist connecting with his face.

Then I would probably get a jail term while he gets let off.

If you sell copious amounts of “school girl porn”… you are bound to het negative results.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

Nothing says "impulse control" like a criminal prosecution...most of the time.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

"couldn’t control the impulse to touch her"

could not control its mind

led by feet and hands

"waste of human space" said by pepe the frog

6 ( +11 / -5 )

I hope that the girl gets the proper counseling.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

With such a lack of mental health support in the country, I feel worried for this poor girl.

The degenerate criminal is a disgusting pig. Even if the society does perpetuate infantilization of women and porn featuring children or people appearing to be children, he doesn't get to use the excuse that he couldn't help himself. Really wish there was a Chris Hanson over here. Though I suppose, he'd have no time to sleep with how many predators he'd be catching. Feels like every single day there's new news about some pig proudly doing this...

I think if Japan is worried about its birth problem, it needs to start considering serious mental health services for the people who survive this kind of horrid crime (of which there are too many) and to prevent the kind of monsters committing the crime from from doing it and thinking the excuse of "being turned on" by the victim, especially a child, is in any way acceptable.

Also, while I am sure many of the nasty dudes doing this are a range of ages, I find it sad that so many of the younger generation are doing it. Doesn't feel very hopeful for when they become the jiji of the country.....Alas. Please change, Japan.

Please protect your children.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Those monster should be punished

6 ( +7 / -1 )

“Led by feet and hands”

actually, led by some other body part

surprised he didn’t use the old ‘I was drunk, don’t remember”

5 ( +6 / -1 )

such a degenerate, these guys should be chasing their thrills by opening the internet.

4 ( +11 / -7 )

Ironic who if he was just a few months younger the article would read "minor detained for molesting elementary school girl."

4 ( +7 / -3 )

quoted him as saying he got excited when he first saw the girl and couldn’t control the impulse to touch her

Why is self-control such a problem here? On the one hand, people here try to control themselves so as not to bother others. But in these cases, they don't. I haven't figured out why that is.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

"he pretended to bump into the girl ...to cop a feel

POS

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I think he should be sat down with a bunch of woman and young ish girls who have been molested and attacked, let them tell him how its affected there lives, there relationships, the breakup of marriages, the mental toucher and possibly PTSD that follows, the years of anxiety, mental stress, the thoughts they had about suicide, etc, these guys just dont know how there selfish actions affect the victims, 30 seconds of uncontrolable urges, for a life long issues for the inocent victims. It might bring him round to the reality of his actions.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Given his ‘attraction to young girls, predatory stalking, selection of opportunity and uncontrollable impulses, this person is a non-rehabilitative predator and needs to be tracked in some kind of 24 hour, publicly-accessible, Online National Sexual Offenders Database.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

these guys should be chasing their thrills by opening the internet.

Yeah but if his thrills involve elementary-aged girls like this one, he needs help or suffer the consequences.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

As for the victim, odds say that she is as likely to enjoy the attention and be fascinated at her power over men as she is to suffer from any trauma over the incident

That... that is an interesting take.

In other words, you don't think she is likely to be affected one way or the other?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

People finally beginning to catch on- porn breeds this type of behavior, thrives off of it.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

@ Zaphod

 Isnt this just about the most well-behaved society on the planet?

That's very much what they would like you to believe but in reality, problems of this kind are no less prevalent than elsewhere. And that's no fantasy.

I am starting to believe that the crime figures here in Japan are being massaged in order to fit the image that Japan wants to project to the rest of the world.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Geoff Gillespie

I am starting to believe that the crime figures here in Japan are being massaged in order to fit the image that Japan wants to project to the rest of the world.

I would not discount there is some massage, but that is not the lived experience here. Girls with sexy clothing can and do move freely, alone, and at night anywhere in the city. That is NOT something you can say about current cities in e.g. Europe.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Danielsan

As for the victim, odds say that she is as likely to enjoy the attention and be fascinated at her power over men as she is to suffer from any trauma over the incident.

That, I very much doubt. The article does not give details, but obviously she complained about the incident (otherwise, how did the police get involved?), so clearly she was not happy about it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In other words, you don't think she is likely to be affected one way or the other?

I think research needs to be done before we could definitively say.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

He admits he is sexually attracted to young girls and has already assaulted at least one. Massive red flags flying there, but I bet he gets a slap on the wrist and let loose in society to do it again. And he will do it again, he won’t stop, and evidence shows these crimes just escalate. He is a danger to young girls, throw away the key.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@ WilliB

Girls with sexy clothing can and do move freely, alone, and at night anywhere in the city. That is NOT something you can say about current cities in e.g. Europe.

Really? I've lived in Tokyo for 18 years and prior to that I was born and raised in London. No women - not one, and that thankfully includes my daughter! - had ever been physically accosted in the UK. Amongst my female students here in Tokyo, something approaching 80% have confided in me that at some point in their lives they have been touched on a train. I actually caught a low life filming up a girl's skirt one evening. Does that fit your image of Japan, because that is the reality.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As for this ‘pedoperpetrator’, despite his limited ‘admission’ & feinted ‘remorse’, incidents like these are not a one-time occurrence. However, for these two ‘cooperative’ aspects within the Japanese justice(?) system, he will be ‘excused’ and allowed to re-enter society.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

The Reality is this paedolphile has most likely done it MANY times before and NOT been caught. He’s been ‘practicing’ his craftiness AND it’s progressively escalating to even more serious crimes against children.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Why can't they make decent relationship and make more babies to increase Japanese population? Does he really have to be pervert?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

A valid point from earlier in this thread that this should not be overlooked:

*- @englisc aspyrgend 7:36am**: “There is no excuse for this. Having said that there is an underlying strand of Japanese culture that infantilises women and fantasies on young girls that plays in to this kind of perversion. As long as this is seen as a normal part of culture people like this will convince them selves their behaviour is acceptable so as to justify their urges.” -*

Agreed. Can’t and shouldn’t be tolerated. Maybe we should allow them to continue to reveal themselves publicly so we can learn ‘who they are’ and protect children from them? -

0 ( +2 / -2 )

there is an underlying strand of Japanese culture that infantilises women and fantasies on young girls that plays in to this kind of perversion.

It's definitely NOT just Japan.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Castrate him.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Damn, these stories make me sick. Absolutely disgusting.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Jonathan PrinToday  09:59 am JST

Not sure he is a true paedophile if she had "full" breasts although in elementary school.

Later in elementary school is when development begins. If she's in the 5th grage her breasts would maybe start to develop but what difference does that really make? He said it himself, he 'couldn't control the impulse to touch her'. He said he has always been turned on by young girls.

What more proof do you need? This guy is warped, he's a pervert no matter if her breasts are 'starting out' or not. Or even if she has them yet. He's a sick creep, and he needs prison time. This is inexcusable behavior in every way.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The perv, as he explained, is attracted [un]naturally and can't control himself.” -*

There's nothing wrong with being attracted. It's acting on those feelings that is the issue. You have to control yourself.

At times, I have been unsuccessful in controlling my own urges, but I keep trying to avoid tempting situations.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

He did the molesting act on an innocent child and that in itself is what is criminal. Not what he said (which is an excuse to 'justify' what he did) but what he did is the crime.

“Suspicion and allegedly” don’t sound like a slam dunk case to me. I know the laws in Japan are vague to say the least, but a country with the history of forced confessions and pressure tactics is not something a lot of people don’t put their trust in. The justice and judicial system is questionable to say the least. I’m not saying the guy did or didn’t do it, I’m saying and going by the justice system in Japan, so I’m cautiously suspicious and unless there is zero shadow of doubt, I will remain skeptical.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Maybe something is out of context NOW? The @2:28p comment is ‘answering a question the same reader posted earlier’ about the victim’s ‘perception’ of the crime?? - Unsure what point is trying to be made about exploitation and victimization when the same poster started the thread with what they may have thought was ‘humourous(?) about this crime story. Some clarity please, about ‘what’ they’re unitimately trying to say here.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@PS - Maybe someone’s comments ‘evaporated’ between those posts?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Geoff Gillespie

Really? I've lived in Tokyo for 18 years and prior to that I was born and raised in London. No women - not one, and that thankfully includes my daughter! - had ever been physically accosted in the UK.

Well, I can say the same about Tokyo. Meanwhile, do your friends and family move about freely and alone at any time of the night they they can and do in Tokyo? None of my friends back there does that. They all exercise self-restraint.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

LudditeAug. 17  06:46 am JST

He admits he is sexually attracted to young girls and has already assaulted at least one. Massive red flags flying there, but I bet he gets a slap on the wrist and let loose in society to do it again. And he will do it again, he won’t stop, and evidence shows these crimes just escalate. He is a danger to young girls, throw away the key.

You're absolutely right. Look at the case of R Kelly in the US. His first wife was 15, that should've been a red flag right there. His track record of offenses spans light-years and his karma is finally catching up to him. His first trial starts today and he has 9 charges of pedo in Chicago and one sexual battery, 10 counts pedo in NYC, 10 in Detroit, federal kiddie porn and sex trafficking charges up the yinyang. He's been skating justice for too long.

And this creep shouldn't be let off the hook either. He even implicates himself already. Put this sicko away before he becomes a Japanese version of R Kelly.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

‘That’ may change ‘next’ year @Garthgoyle 1:20pm. The reason for “may”? - Still so many loopholes without clarity.

- @1:20pm:“Ironic who if he was just a few months younger the article would read "minor detained for molesting elementary school girl."-

May 23, 2021:

*- “The Legislative Council of the Ministry of Justice proposed changes last year[2020}. The revised law, enacted on Fri, goes into effect in April 2022.- It will toughen punishments for offenders aged 18 and 19 [yet} without lowering the age of criminal responsibility. - Crimes punishable with a min of 1 yr in prison, such as robbery or rape, will be added to the list.*

One significant result of the revised law will be relaxed rules for media reporting, allowing for the full names and faces of 18- and 19-year-old offenders to be published.

Perhaps the Japanese laws are written ambiguously so the children of the ‘rich & powerful elite’ can find a way out of what ‘They’ term “an unfortunate misunderstanding & regrettable incident we will strive to see that thre is not a recurrence.” ?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Police said Nishijima told them he saw the girl, whom he doesn’t know, as she walked along a street and followed her to the bookstore. When he was sure no staff or other customers were looking, he pretended to bump into the girl and groped her breasts, then quickly left the store.

He's reading her like an anime book

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

This ‘child’ is another victim of a pedophile. - Despite the minimal facts frequently authored here in “Crime”, ALL here are lead to speculate on each of ‘their own ideas’. Yet, I find it really bizarre that the same poster is following my comments from thread after thread citing my opinions are “false” or “incorrect”. They seem less wanting to engage in a dialogue than to ‘correct’ my perceptions about these evident ‘adult-on-child’ crimes. I can’t understand their need to cite ‘philosophical’ debates about what may be ‘good or evil’; asserting likely truths are more ‘fantasy than reality’; and, creepier still: ‘trying to justify’ the apparently inappropriate and inexcusable behavior of 36 yr old adults seeking out 14 yr old children on social media for ‘whatever’ intentions they may have.

Regardless, despite their persistence, Paedophilia, in any form, will NEVER be accepted by a healthy, thriving, modern WORLD as appropriate behavior. They fear society’s concerted efforts to track them. They are afraid of proactive measures like a publicly-available, online, National Sexual Offender Database.

Perhaps they need to retreat to their shadows again? The current world still doesn’t want them. Perhaps find somewhere else, in the dark, like one of their ‘incel echo-chambers’ where they can to espouse whatever “phantasy” in which they want to engage?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

It’s appears some posters still aren’t ‘seeing the victims as what they are’: children. They continue to provide ‘conflicting’ ideas in their same commentary. - For example, the conflicts in one commenter’s recent post, proclaiming their own practical experiences and cautioning others yet, questioning what predilections for certain physical aspects may qualify these criminals as a ‘truedeviants, or not :

- “I have two daughters”

contrasted with:

*- “Not sure he is a true(?) paedophile if she had "full" breasts [??} although in elementary school. The perv, as he explained, is attracted [un]naturally and can't control himself.” -*

Perhaps it’s some form of game to lure certain ‘young women’, perhaps in the Japanese capitol itself’ to engage them in some kind of ‘discourse’. (Maybe that’s a different kind of thrill, for them?)

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

This crime was perpetrated on a child. - Some are usually here in the “Crime” section for their chance to make some “jokes” (it’s understood, and appreciated, in ‘some’ forums) but if these same readers are having similar, deviant ‘thoughts, urges, impulses & control’ issues concerning children, then some immediate counseling is perhaps advisable ?

- “There's nothing wrong with being attracted. It's acting on those feelings that is the issue. You have to control yourself.  At times, I have been unsuccessful in controlling my own urges, but I keep trying to avoid tempting situations.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

bass4funkToday  10:29 am JST

*Later in elementary school is when development begins. If she's in the 5th grage her breasts would maybe start to develop but what difference does that really make? He said it himself, he 'couldn't control the impulse to touch her'. *He said he has always been turned on by young girls.

What more proof do you need?

If a person says I’m turned on by young girls doesn’t mean you can arrest them on a statement. If I say, I want to murder someone they can’t just arrest me. If Japan or most modern and civilized countries would arrest people based on a statement like that the prisons would be overcrowded. You need to have tangible evidence that a crime was committed.

*This guy is warped, he's a pervert no matter if her breasts are 'starting out' or not. Or even if she has them yet. He's a sick creep,*

I agree.

it's not the perverted things he said that's criminal. That kind of talk just shows what a disgusting creep he is. It's the action itself that is criminal in nature. He's just using this talk as an excuse and it's a pretty lame one. There is no excusing this disturbing behavior. He did the molesting act on an innocent child and that in itself is what is criminal. Not what he said (which is an excuse to 'justify' what he did) but what he did is the crime.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Even with such a heinous crime against children, …

- [“As for the victim, odds say that she is as likely to enjoy the attention and be fascinated at her power over men as she is to suffer from any trauma over the incident.”] -

Such a comment is unconscionable. It infer children can develop some power over adults and exert such power through perpetuating ‘the mythos of false accusations’. Despite their obvious provocations, readers have options: do our best to just ignore them when we can and/or, perhaps such comments ‘should be allowed’ to remain as maybe they can’t control their own impulses to make such revealing remarks.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Give him Chemical castration please

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

He's reading her like an anime book

More like a book written in Braille.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Later in elementary school is when development begins. If she's in the 5th grage her breasts would maybe start to develop but what difference does that really make? He said it himself, he 'couldn't control the impulse to touch her'. He said he has always been turned on by young girls.

What more proof do you need?

If a person says I’m turned on by young girls doesn’t mean you can arrest them on a statement. If I say, I want to murder someone they can’t just arrest me. If Japan or most modern and civilized countries would arrest people based on a statement like that the prisons would be overcrowded. You need to have tangible evidence that a crime was committed.

This guy is warped, he's a pervert no matter if her breasts are 'starting out' or not. Or even if she has them yet. He's a sick creep,

I agree.

and he needs prison time. This is inexcusable behavior in every way.

You think so, many people might, but we do live in a nation of laws and standards and as long as he didn’t physically violate any of them, he can say nutty things. Just make sure to keep your kids away from someone like that.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Such a terrible event from which EVERY child should be protected. PTSD will be part of her daily life IF she cannot get the appropriate mental health counseling & therapy.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

always been turned on by young girls

> Pacific SauryAug. 14  10:19 pm JST

there is an underlying strand of Japanese culture that infantilises women and fantasies on young girls that plays in to this kind of perversion.

It's definitely NOT just Japan.

No it isn't just there, it's rampant in the USA as well.

Mr KiplingAug. 14  07:56 am JST

Kentarogaijin....

Prejudices are for silly people..

Well, a few years back, close to 40% of Japanese produced porn had the "actress" wearing school uniform.

There's a fetish for that in America too. Sometimes these girls are planted outside their schools as bait for sting operations. Either way you slice it, it's all a sign of a sick denegerate system. Absolutely disgusting.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

he got excited when he first saw the girl and couldn’t control the impulse to touch her. He said he has always been turned on by young girls.

The medieval punishment of chopping off a criminal's hands should be applied to these creeps!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Poor young girl. She'll need counseling and therapy and this will affect her life for years to come.

-4 ( +13 / -17 )

Robert Cikki

Why is self-control such a problem here?

Is it really? Isnt this just about the most well-behaved society on the planet? Of course there are some creeps here. But more then elsewhere?

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

snowymountainhell

The Reality is this paedolphile has most likely done it MANY times before

I do not know that, and neither do you. Your phantasy does not equal "reality".

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

When he was sure no staff or other customers were looking, he pretended to bump into the girl and groped her breasts, then quickly left the store.

Am surprised he didn't pretend to be blind and say he was reading braille.

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

Fortunately for Mr. Groper, such behavior is so common among Japanese men that he is certain to face a sympathetic prosecutor and judge.

A light slap on the wrist and a stern warning to not get caught are all that awaits him.

As for the victim, odds say that she is as likely to enjoy the attention and be fascinated at her power over men as she is to suffer from any trauma over the incident.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Not sure he is a true paedophile if she had "full" breasts although in elementary school.

The perv, as he explained, is attracted naturally and can't control himself.

Outside forcing him to take pills (chemical castration) which cannot ensure result, mutilate him (remove you know what) or have him sent to the gallows (not possible even in Japan), only keeping him in jail for the rest of his life would be a solution.

The cost and resources to keep all the pervs is way too high.

Only real solution : teach your kids what to do to escape the worst (I have two daughters) and keep an eye yourself whenever possible (I am not the police neither)

Not saying it is a satisfactory solution, particularly in Japan.

The natural solution, not accepted nowadays, would be he gets in real trouble and get kicked so badly he'd have difficulty walking again.

You need to know what you want in life.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

if I saw him…. I wouldn’t be able to control my fist connecting with his face.

I bet he's scared.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

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