Man arrested for soliciting sex from teenage girl

So she accepts the cash does the deed, then feels like a victim a year later. This is so common.

So she accepts the cash does the deed, then feels like a victim a year later.

It's called corruption of minors, Daryl. He's caused this girl to prostitute herself.

She is just as guilty. She WILLINGLY participated in those acts for money. She has absolutely no reason to complain.

I'm not sure what isn't clear about "underage" in the title. The responsibility lies with the adult, not the child.

And it seems clear he did something to make her feel her life was in danger - otherwise, why would she have posted that? She didn't go to the police - the police saw her post and went to her.

These men who solicit teen girls often use threats to get what they want. She IS a victim.

She hinted that she felt her life was in danger. I wonder why that was? Did he go after her later after that time after the hotel with threats? Other people involved?

When you are underage, the onus falls on the adult for not being responsible. While teenagers have to be counselled about the same, however, the adult is the one who should have known and acted better.

17? Come on. She knew full well what she was doing. This isn't Somalia, where girls prostitute themselves to buy bread. These girls do it in Japan to be able to buy expensive goods for themselves. It would be different if she were 13 for goodness sake, but 17?!

17 is underage, so this is a crime. It's not quite as serious as it would be if she were younger, but it's a crime all the same. Even if she is ahem, WILLING.

confusingly the age of consent is 20 in some prefectures. 18 in others.

many western countries 16.

it is sad that a 17 year old girl has to resort to prostitution in the worlds third richest economy.

although she consented, to report it is either blackmail or he did something in the room very disgusting, which she didn’t consent to?

Seriously. People saying a minor is just as guilty as an adult means these so called adults don't know how to take responsibility for their actions. Doesn't matter if the child is prostituting themselves. There are plenty of legal options. Just leave children alone.

I was once a 17 year old girl. I remember quite well what it was like, how naive I was, and how sophisticated I thought I was - girls at that age are not mature enough to understand the full extent of their decisions. That is exactly why we have laws that protect them against predatory adult males who would take advantage of their inexperience and naiveté.

Which is also why he was arrested and she was not.

girl_in_tokyoToday  09:57 am JST

I was once a 17 year old girl. I remember quite well what it was like, how naive I was, and how sophisticated I thought I was - girls at that age are not mature enough to understand the full extent of their decisions. That is exactly why we have laws that protect them against predatory adult males who would take advantage of their inexperience and naiveté.

Which is also why he was arrested and she was not.

So when I see high school girls with Chanel or Goochi purses, their parents gave them money for it?

“I committed indecent acts after paying the girl cash, but I don’t remember the details,” 

This made me laugh. Could you imagine how the recently departed Judge Judy would respond to a statement like this? lol!

The cops would probably find the details on his phone.

It’s about time Japan banned Manga showing people having (sometimes abusive) sex with school kids, AKB48 and co sexualising their members with school uniforms. I’m not saying this is a direct cause for people having sex with school kids but it’s not right to have such material as accepted in society when the act is actually illegal.

As others have said, 17 is legal in many other countries, and legal age in Japan is inconsistent. It would help to have a clear country wide age set.

For the ones blaming the 17 year old girl: take a look at your daughter, at your niece, at your younger sister... even looking at their picture will do... And then say what you wrote here aloud so that you can hear what you are saying. Good luck .

girl_in_tokyoToday  09:57 am JST

I was once a 17 year old girl. I remember quite well what it was like, how naive I was, and how sophisticated I thought I was - girls at that age are not mature enough to understand the full extent of their decisions. That is exactly why we have laws that protect them against predatory adult males who would take advantage of their inexperience and naiveté.

The man is definitely completely in the wrong because she's underaged but let's not make it like her age makes her naive or a victim. He did not prey on her, she went to that site willingly and went out with him WILLINGLY for one reason and one reason only: to get his money money money.

The guy should be arrested.

became acquainted with the girl on a members-only social networking site.

But I doubt he forced her to join a "members-only" site. I'm assuming fees were paid and fees were given. She is also not innocent here. It'll be a safe bet that in the near future, if she isn't already, she'll just go full time pro anyways.

When asked his occupation, the man replied solicitor. He's gonna need one.

According to Sagamihara Police Station, a cybercrime patrol unit found a social media post by the girl in which she hinted her life might be in danger.

Gotta give it a hand to these J-cops, they really do their job.

According to the arrest warrant, on June 9 at around 5 p.m., Yamamoto visited a Yokohama hotel with the 18-year-old high school student, who was then 17. The two stayed in their room for approximately three hours. 

One year away from being legal age and looking for papasan on deai sites. Yes, illegal, but hardly anything to do with "child prostitution" as they claim. There should be more nuance in these cases.

At 17 you know sex is good.

Why are prople not seeing the girl is just trying to find a way to escape the fact she did all on her free will then needed an explanation about an explanation to satisfy the authorities/ her parents/herself/whoever...

Sex is part of life. No one was hurt there.

Solliciting on a site where girls look for papasai is indeed not prostitution.

Having sex on your free will whatever purpose is good !

Sex is part of life. No one was hurt there.

Solliciting on a site where girls look for papasai is indeed not prostitution.

Having sex on your free will whatever purpose is good !

I remember being 17 too. And knew how to behave...

@Zaphod

https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail_main/?printID=&ky=work&re=02&page=18&vm=03&id=100

Everything to do with "violating the child prostitution and pornography law" if the suspicion happen to be proved.

And, the article talk about a "members-only social networking site" which include a big range of sites and services like Line for one, Instagram for another not only deai site and even if it was, how does that change anything ? If he did the thing he is suspected of, he broke the law.

For every age there are people which are a few months away from having it, and then people a few months away of being a few months away of having it, and then other people which are a few months away to be a few months away of being a few month away of having it. And so on. They put an age as that is easy to understand for everyone, there are people which are more mature at 16 than other at 20. So how are people able to check that out easily ? Age is simple for everyone to use. You want to pick up someone (prostitute or not), you ask for proof of age, you do not get one, you find someone else you can get a proof of or is out of any reasonable doubt on the right age according to the law (thought you should as well do not forget to make sure the other one is perfectly aware of what is going on and 100% willing of it going on, even if age-wise you are safe, and that, obviously, include prostitute and no threatening or other b. before, during and after).

These men who solicit teen girls often use threats to get what they want. She IS a victim.

Yes.

Those trying to make excuses for the man are making a dubious argument.

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Hello, JT.

What's the deal with this, is there some kind of glitch today? I have to refresh after I get the message, log out & log in again - on all of my posts so far.

Cheers.

So at 17 years of age she's selling herself, I see a real Bright future for this young lady .... You know the day they were suppose to meet for sex she didn't have to keep the date she could have just stood him up. Boy her parents sure have Great parenting skills ....

RecklessToday 11:06 am JST

I agree with you to some extent, but at some point and hopefully in the near future, women will take responsibility for their decisions. Taking advantage of someone is a personality fault, not a crime.

There is no reason for you to say "hopefully in the near future, women will take responsibility for their decisions." Women, meaning grown women, are fully capable of understanding their actions and taking responsibility for them. Girls and boys, on the other hand, are too young, inexperienced, and naive to understand the full extent of their decisions, which is why we do not charge underage girls when older men have sex with them - we charge the men, because it is they who need to take responsibility for taking advantage of a young person. And in this case, and in many others, it actually IS a crime.

MocheakeToday 01:13 pm JST

The man is definitely completely in the wrong because she's underaged but let's not make it like her age makes her naive or a victim. He did not prey on her, she went to that site willingly and went out with him WILLINGLY for one reason and one reason only: to get his money money money.

It's not only her age. It's her maturity level, inexperience, and other factors that make her a victim here. Even if she willingly and knowingly participated, at her age she is not fully capable of understanding the full ramifications involved in sex work.

In fact, I'd even say that many grown women don't fully understand - lots of grown women who get into sex work don't realize how it might effect them, nor do they consider the impact of that on their future.

And if they can't foresee that, then how can a 17 year old?

We have age of consent laws because we have to draw the line somewhere, and the age that has been chosen is 18.

The job of adults is to GUIDE young people to make GOOD decisions. Not to take advantage of their tendancy to make bad ones.

As others have said, 17 is legal in many other countries, and legal age in Japan is inconsistent. It would help to have a clear country wide age set.

Yes. This needs clarification on a national level.

I fully understand the idea of being naive at 18. I look back at my 20s and remember many wtf moments. I tend to go with the idea that in terms of mental maturity you don’t really reach adulthood until your mid-twenties.

It's not only her age. It's her maturity level, inexperience, and other factors that make her a victim here. Even if she willingly and knowingly participated, at her age she is not fully capable of understanding the full ramifications involved in sex work.

In fact, I'd even say that many grown women don't fully understand - lots of grown women who get into sex work don't realize how it might effect them, nor do they consider the impact of that on their future.

And if they can't foresee that, then how can a 17 year old?

We have age of consent laws because we have to draw the line somewhere, and the age that has been chosen is 18.

The job of adults is to GUIDE young people to make GOOD decisions. Not to take advantage of their tendancy to make bad ones.

So, if she were going to turn twenty tomorrow, does she automatically become mature? Your age does not determine your maturity level. See: Trump, Donald J. for more info on that. The fact is, no one outside of maybe your immediate family, and your teachers in school, is responsible for teaching you anything. That's how the world works. Also, you don't know anything about her but since she's female automatically you see her as being preyed on by men and a victim and not responsible for her actions. I disagree. I have met a few wily teenage girls and grown women who were advanced way past their years and knew the game well and LIKED what they were doing. Fact is, she knew damn well what she was doing. She will probably be out there again doing the same soon. He didn't take advantage of her. She wanted cash and figured sex was the quickest way to get it. Plain and simple. It's called the world's oldest profession for a reason.

@ Mocheake

you don't know anything about her

You neither but still post :

She wanted cash and figured sex was the quickest way to get it.

The case is about the guy and the law. Regarding the law that is how things go. As by law, if things were proved, at that time : she was a child, he was an adult. She fall under having to be protected, he fall under having to be prosecuted. You already have a lot of explanation about why the law is made this way.

MocheakeToday 07:42 pm JST

So, if she were going to turn twenty tomorrow, does she automatically become mature?

No, but brain development and life experience matters.

Your age does not determine your maturity level.

I did say that even some adult women do not fully understand how doing sex work can effect them; I further pointed out that nevertheless, we have to draw an arbitrary line - and that line is usually drawn at 18, 20 or 21.

The fact is, no one outside of maybe your immediate family, and your teachers in school, is responsible for teaching you anything.

You seem to be confusing the difference between being responsible for parenting a teen, and being responsible enough not to take advantage of a young person's tendency to make poor decisions.

Also, you don't know anything about her but since she's female automatically you see her as being preyed on by men and a victim and not responsible for her actions.

No. I do not automatically see her as being preyed upon because she is female. I see her as being preyed upon because she is a 17 year old - I would say the same thing if the genders were reversed. Young men have no business doing sex work either.

I disagree. I have met a few wily teenage girls and grown women who were advanced way past their years and knew the game well and LIKED what they were doing.

Liking what they are doing and having the maturity, life experience, and foresight to understand the ramifications of your actions are two different things.

A child LIKES to eat candy for dinner, but that doesn't mean we should encourage them to do so.

And sex work is not a game. It's a profession, and a very difficult one to navigate with success. It's not a profession for young underage women, and older men who have far more life experience should not take advantage of young women's tendency to make uninformed decisions.

Fact is, she knew damn well what she was doing. She will probably be out there again doing the same soon. He didn't take advantage of her. She wanted cash and figured sex was the quickest way to get it. Plain and simple. It's called the world's oldest profession for a reason.

You berated me saying, "you don't know a thing about her" but here you are seemingly touting that you DO know something about her. Care to walk that back?

Also, let me say this: even if she IS perfectly cognizant of what she is doing, it still doesn't excuse this man's behavior. Buying sex from a teen girl is just plain gross, and only a man without morals would do that.

Morals, being naive, legal age...we are talking about sex. Only threats should be considered here.

@Girl_in_Tokyo

Writing the most does not make you right.

If you were PM, you would throw in cage millions of Japanese citizens, do you understand ?

Just take it as it is, sex on free will and knowledgeable (no pimp, no hurt, etc). If threats proven by this man, put him in prison indeed.

How do you want people later to get children if sex is seen so risky as to get into prison for any reason one extremist may find ?

No issue in France. I have a sister and 2 young daughters.

No to sexualized very young undeveloped girls by the media yes.

The 17 year old knew what her true intentions were. So now the guy has to be the victim, he knew what his intentions were and he paid for them. So she claimed her life was at risk.

She is 17. The age for marriage here is 16, isn't it? At 17, she is certainly biology completely developed. Mentally, yeah probably most people do not mature before they are 30, and some never.

Again, I agree they guy should have stayed away if he knew she not 18 yet. But I find it completely dishonest to put this in the same category as "child prostitution".

Jonathan Prim:

No to sexualized very young undeveloped girls by the media yes.

I completely agree, but remind me... France is not the country that both produced and prize awarded this "Cuties" film, which is fundamentally kiddy softporn?

She is 17. The age for marriage here is 16, isn't it?

With parental consent.

At 17, she is certainly biology completely developed. Mentally, yeah probably most people do not mature before they are 30

Science says the logic centers of the brain finishes developing at 25.

As the father to a daughter, I'm entirely ok with a 49 year old man being thrown in jail if he slept with my 17 year old daughter, even if she initiated it. He's 49. If he can't keep it in his pants, then society will rightfully keep it in jail.

Girl in Tokyo : You berated me saying, "you don't know a thing about her" but here you are seemingly touting that you DO know something about her. Care to walk that back?

Why would I want to 'walk that back?' I DO KNOW something about her: she willingly prostituted herself and according to the guy, he paid her( this means she accepted) tens of thousands of yen for those sex acts. I didn't see anything in the article that refuted it so it must be true. So even though she may be a minor, I DO KNOW by definition she is definitely a prostitute. I am willing to bet it wasn't her first rodeo.

Young underaged people aren't the only ones who make poor decisions and how do you know she thinks it's a poor decision? Apparently, she went to that hotel room of her own volition. When she was doing those sex acts and getting that cash she may have found it exciting and actually - I know you may have trouble believing or understanding this - she may have liked it. There are women who get into that business because they WANT to and are not forced by anyone and enjoy what they are doing.

You posted that only a man without morals buys sex from a teen girl. So, if the woman isn't a teen, his morals are good then? The age of consent varies in many places and I don't think morals change based on age of consent laws. How do you know this girl didn't lie about her age and say she was an adult? Let's say she turns twenty tomorrow and sells herself to the same guy. Did his morals just change because she isn't underage now? What about her morals and would her behavior still be excused by you?

MocheakeToday 01:30 am JST

Why would I want to 'walk that back?' I DO KNOW something about her: she willingly prostituted herself and according to the guy, he paid her( this means she accepted) tens of thousands of yen for those sex acts. I didn't see anything in the article that refuted it so it must be true. So even though she may be a minor, I DO KNOW by definition she is definitely a prostitute. I am willing to bet it wasn't her first rodeo.

The article has no information about whether this was the first time she had done this or not, so unless you can provide another source, you do not in fact know this. Care to walk it back, especially in light of how you berated me for stating things that I cannot know?

Young underaged people aren't the only ones who make poor decisions and how do you know she thinks it's a poor decision?

You just admitted that young underage people make poor decisions. Thanks.

I don't know that she thinks it's a poor choice, but well, it IS a poor choice, isn't it.

Apparently, she went to that hotel room of her own volition. When she was doing those sex acts and getting that cash she may have found it exciting and actually - I know you may have trouble believing or understanding this - she may have liked it. There are women who get into that business because they WANT to and are not forced by anyone and enjoy what they are doing.

Again, a child would LOVE to eat candy every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - they would really, really enjoy that. But that doesn't mean the adults around them should buy it for them.

And yes, sex work is legitimate work in my opinion and I do not have anything against it - some of my best friends have done sex work. But considering she is still underage, and as we agreed young people tend to make poor decisions, she should not be urged, encouraged, or in any way facilitated by adults into doing that sort of work.

While it is not the job of adults to parent all young people, it is the responsibility of much older adults not to take advantage of their tendency to make poor decisions.

You posted that only a man without morals buys sex from a teen girl. So, if the woman isn't a teen, his morals are good then?

This sentence is not even logically sound.

The age of consent varies in many places and I don't think morals change based on age of consent laws.

The age of consent to marry is 14 in some countries, but that doesn't make it okay to marry a 14 year old - so you are correct: something does not become moral just becuse it is legal.

How do you know this girl didn't lie about her age and say she was an adult? Let's say she turns twenty tomorrow and sells herself to the same guy. Did his morals just change because she isn't underage now? What about her morals and would her behavior still be excused by you?

She may have lied, but we have no evidence that she did so. In addition, you just got done pointing out that the legality of something doesn't make it morally right. Knowingly buying a girl who is obviously much younger is still not morally right.

And just because she did something morally wrong doesn't excuse this man's choice of doing something that is even worse.

Do you have any other pithy comments for me to dismantle?

Jonathan Prin Nov. 12 10:11 pm JST

@Girl_in_Tokyo

Writing the most does not make you right.

Correct. It's the content and logic of my comments that makes me right. But if you can dismantle my reasoning, then I invite you to try. That other guy isn't doing very well.

If you were PM, you would throw in cage millions of Japanese citizens, do you understand ?

I have no idea what this even means.

Just take it as it is, sex on free will and knowledgeable (no pimp, no hurt, etc). If threats proven by this man, put him in prison indeed.

Older men should not be buying sex from underage girls. It's not only illegal it's immoral. That is why he was arrested. That is why he will go to court and likely receive a fine or jail time. This is not a gray area. This is prostitution by an underage girl.

How do you want people later to get children if sex is seen so risky as to get into prison for any reason one extremist may find ?

I expect them to have sex with consenting partners who are of age, and that they do not buy sex from.

No issue in France. I have a sister and 2 young daughters.

Having females in your life doesn't make you an expert on teenage prostitution.

No to sexualized very young undeveloped girls by the media yes.

I don't understand what this means. First no, but then yes?

Jonathan Prin Nov. 12 10:11 pm JST

No issue in France.

Out of curiosity, I checked and 18 is the legal age in France for prostitutes. In other words, this actually would be an issue in France, and not only due to her age - also because it is illegal to pay for sex. The selling of sex is legal; but buying it is not. It's known as the "Swedish model".

Zaphod Nov. 12 11:02 pm JST

She is 17. The age for marriage here is 16, isn't it? At 17, she is certainly biology completely developed. Mentally, yeah probably most people do not mature before they are 30, and some never.

A girl is biologically capable of sex and conception around age 12 - but what does biology have to do with the morality of buying sex from a teenage girl?

Again, I agree they guy should have stayed away if he knew she not 18 yet. But I find it completely dishonest to put this in the same category as "child prostitution".

How is it dishonest to call it child prostitution when it fits the legal definition? No one is lying; it's just that you personally disagree with calling it that.

And I'd really be interested in exactly how you would justify defending the right of an older man to buy sex from an underage girl.

The point here is that the adult should have known better and not taken advantage. An older man should not be buying sex from a young girl. It's disgusting and just plain immoral.

girl_in_Tokyo is absolutely right on this and it’s worrying to see how many of you don’t ( or don’t wanna ) see the obvious. Probably because of the anger some of you feel and disbelief. When it’s rape, it’s more easier and simple. In this case, you don’t wanna accept the girl chose to do that. Yes, but guess what, she’s 17. And even if she was 18, 20 or 21. We’re talking about a 49 year old man. It’s wrong.

I don’t think you all needed to waste your time writing endless posts. What happened: a pervert bstrd was taking advantage of a minor. End of story. ( a disgusting one ).

and it’s worrying to see how many of you don’t ( or don’t wanna ) see the obvious. Probably because of the anger some of you feel and disbelief. When it’s rape, it’s more easier and simple. In this case, you don’t wanna accept the girl chose to do that. Yes, but guess what, she’s 17. And even if she was 18, 20 or 21. We’re talking about a 49 year old man. It’s wrong.

To make it clear: when it’s rape and abuse, it’s simple. It’s easier to understand. We know who’s the aggressor and the victim. In this case, I said that some people don’t want to accept that the girl chose to go with the man for whatever reason. So, out of anger, somehow they blame her and look at her as “the dirty young slut whose future is ruined and everything bad that’ll happen in her life that’s on her”. Because then it seems easier to accept. But, like I said, she’s 17, I mean she’s still a baby! What I mean is that at 17 she still doesn’t fully understand the consequences of her actions. Yeah, the money, right? So what? She needs to be guided, educated and protected. She doesn’t need to be abused by some creep ( yes, it’s still abuse ). Stop talking about the girl ( the victim here ). Talk about the 49 year old pervert ( he’s the one that got arrested ).

rcch Nov. 14 08:03 am JST

But, like I said, she’s 17, I mean she’s still a baby! What I mean is that at 17 she still doesn’t fully understand the consequences of her actions. Yeah, the money, right? So what? She needs to be guided, educated and protected. She doesn’t need to be abused by some creep ( yes, it’s still abuse ). Stop talking about the girl ( the victim here ). Talk about the 49 year old pervert ( he’s the one that got arrested ).

Exactly. We also know that in many cases of teenage prostitution the girl has parental negligence and abuse in her background, or even homelessness. It doesn't say that is a factor here, but it provides some insight into why many young girls turn to selling sex.

It is not at all common for girls who have had a supportive, secure home environment to just suddenly start selling sex. I'm not discounting it entirely; I just want to point out that this blanket condemnation of young girls as minxes who prey on older men is a ridiculous and misogynistic stereotype with little basis in reality.

In reality, these girls are preyed upon by older, more experienced men who just don't give a damn about them as human beings.

Because frankly, if this man did see the humanity in this girl he would have contracted social services instead of taking her to a hotel for sex.