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Singapore diplomat fined ¥300,000 for Tokyo bathhouse voyeurism

37 Comments

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Sim has mostly admitted to the allegations and was quoted by police as saying he could not control his voyeuristic urges.

First, a fine of 300,000 yen ($1,900) is a slap on the wrist for a retiring foreign diplomat.

Second, Japanese police quoted him as saying "I was unable to control my desires when I saw a man naked." The wording of this “confession” is very similar to many confessions we read in Japan and thus becomes suspect when the diplomat himself seems to be telling a somewhat different story.

Asahi reported the diplomat willing informing officers that he had taken photos in multiple public baths, quoting him as saying, “I was surprised by the Japanese public bath culture and became interested in baths.” According to NHK, citing Tokyo police, the man said that he had no intention of targeting children. In fact, when confronted, he agreed to delete the images on the spot, including 700 photos from other public baths over the previous six months.

If the 55-year-old diplomat can be believed to, we basically have an older foreign visitor who was interested in the Japanese bath culture and decided to accumulate a photo record of his visits.

Of course, taking photos and videos in public baths is not acceptable, but as a long-term resident who loves the wide variety of hot springs that can be found in Japan, I can certainly understand a new visitor’s fascination with that culture. Just remember, guys: No photos/videos.

-4 ( +11 / -15 )

Being fined, since he followed Japanese culture that good?

-19 ( +3 / -22 )

Clearly a perverted and despicable individual who has sick preferences. He should have been locked up - a ¥300,000 fine is hardly punishment.

Hopefully his career is over - IF Singapore takes this conviction more seriously than Japan has.

-3 ( +8 / -11 )

Dang. That's literally what it would be ¥300 for me. He got a 300 yen fine for child pornography.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

Deport the scumbag..

-17 ( +3 / -20 )

Creepy!

5 ( +7 / -2 )

This act is also a crime in Singapore. Hope he doesnt face the cane.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

What a joke. 300000 yen! It’s a very serious crime some could kill him and the poor person could spend years in jail. It should be more than $3M. Unfortunately japanese laws are 1000 years behind the current time zone on Earth. Japanese companies and people in general so much ahead of the law at every level.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Deport the scumbag..

Actually, Japan asked him to come back

0 ( +6 / -6 )

@Asiaman7

First, a fine of 300,000 yen ($1,900) is a slap on the wrist for a retiring foreign diplomat.

He has a diplomatic immunity and won't be paying any fines.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

He has a diplomatic immunity

According to a 14 June article in the Singapore Straits Times, the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “Sim did not have diplomatic immunity any longer as his posting as a counsellor had ended.”

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/mfa-officer-issued-300000-yen-fine-for-taking-nude-photos-of-male-customers-in-tokyo-bathhouse

4 ( +6 / -2 )

If he is a child pervert, I feel even much more violated if an obasan comes in the changing room while I am naked, which happened a few times to me with my kid, because supposedly there is some cleaning to do.

At least he admitted the deed and faced officially his guilt.

Hope he paid his fine and won't be authorized to come back.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

 I feel even much more violated if an obasan comes in the changing room while I am naked, which happened a few times to me with my kid

"Violated"? You are seriously trying to equate a cleaning woman doing her job, to a perverted man illegally taking nude photos of children? Really?

SMH.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

… to a perverted man illegally taking nude photos of children?

Japan’s police and prosecutors carefully reviewed the evidence and concluded that a minor charge and fine best suited this case. I trust their judgment.

If any of the 700 photos and videos on this man’s phone were of “children in a sexual manner,” I’m sure the charges would have been more severe because Japan passed a law just last year criminalizing such behavior.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

What is it with this diplomatic immunity? An American woman driving her car on the wrong side of the road in England killed a guy riding his motorbike and was able to just use the defence and fly back to America. I don’t even think she was a diplomat, her husband was. Similarly with this, it just means these people can do anything they want and get away with it.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

A wicked man with a dark soul. Luckily he seems to have been able to surpress himself from taking the next step and committing sexual assault.

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

Garthgoyle

Dang. That's literally what it would be ¥300 for me. He got a 300 yen fine for child pornography.

Naked people in bath houses are not "child pornography". Lets stay real. Words have meanings, and if you jump to the strongest terms immediately, you devaluate the word. That is similar to people screaming "holocaust" in reference to civilian casualties in a war. The article was right to use "voyeurism" and not "child pornography".

1 ( +7 / -6 )

Naked people in bath houses are not "child pornography". Lets stay real. Words have meanings, and if you jump to the strongest terms immediately, you devaluate the word. That is similar to people screaming "holocaust" in reference to civilian casualties in a war. The article was right to use "voyeurism" and not "child pornography".

That is child pornography because it's naked pictures of individuals (without their consent) and some who are not adults yet. He needs the harshest charge for that mess. Singapore being the same country that has the harshest laws against vandalism or drug use but this dude tried to play the "I'm not from here I didn't know card"

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Not to mention he is using the pictures for his sexual pleasure, it's crazy how some of y'all here don't see a problem with that

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

He took his voyeurism too far, got caught, accepted responsibility (possibly after some behind the scenes negotiations between governments) and hopefully pays his fine and gets some help before he does something that is really bad. A male cleaner at an Australian university recently got a suspended sentence for making videos (secretly) of women in various states of undress in a toilet something I would argue is even more serious. It wasn't that long ago the wife of an American diplomat fled the country and refused to return to face trial in Britain after killing a man in a traffic accident in what can only be viewed as an abuse of the use of Diplomatic Immunity. So no medal for this gentlemen but he did do the right thing and front up to face justice.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Good.

No one is above the Law.

Except when it comes to sentencing and which crimes are actually investigated.

Then it's quite different.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Bath houses where women and men should no longer be nude, and swimsuits should be required. Life has changed in Japan, more foreigners and with electronics and life itself this change should come sooner than later.

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

Swim suits in Onsens-never.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Ken

That is child pornography because it's naked pictures of individuals (without their consent) and some who are not adults yet.

The definition of child pornography is visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving children. Not just pictures of naked people taking a bath. If you expand the definition endlessly, you devaluate the horrible concept of child pornography. Again, what is the point of always jumping to the worst possible term?

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

tigerjane

Bath houses where women and men should no longer be nude, and swimsuits should be required. Life has changed in Japan, more foreigners and with electronics and life itself this change should come sooner than later.

Good grief, no! Leave Japan alone and accept the customs as they are. If you don´t like onsen, then dont go.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Jonathan Prin

If he is a child pervert, I feel even much more violated if an obasan comes in the changing room while I am naked, which happened a few times to me with my kid, because supposedly there is some cleaning to do.

What do you mean "supposedly"? She is doing her job. It is narcistic to image everything is about you. Are you also complaining about the obasan who clean public toilets in stations? Would you rather have the places dirty?

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Bath houses where women and men should no longer be nude, and swimsuits should be required. Life has changed in Japan, more foreigners and with electronics and life itself this change should come sooner than later.

Nope.

Japanese do not have the hang-ups and shyness that so many foreigners have when it comes to nudity. No need to cover up with swimwear in onsen or sento.

Just keep the perverts and degenerates with cameras like this Singaporean man out.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

What a joke. 300000 yen! It’s a very serious crime some could kill him and the poor person could spend years in jail. It should be more than $3M. Unfortunately japanese laws are 1000 years behind the current time zone on Earth. Japanese companies and people in general so much ahead of the law at every level.

There are a lot of punishments in japan that are a slap on the wrist, compared with other country's punishments. It's even more of a joke if that diplomat doesn't pay the fine, due to diplomatic immunity.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Bath houses where women and men should no longer be nude, and swimsuits should be required.

You think swimsuits should be mandatory. Your great grandparents may have insisted on bloomers that cover the ankles. Today, some Muslims would make all women wear burkinis. Japan thinks it's fine to be naked in the bath, so long as no tattoos are visible.

Cultures are different, and not one of them is "right".

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Probably will be strung up by his proverbials once back in Stinkypore

0 ( +1 / -1 )

He paid $1900 for his fetish of looking at naked Japanese men. He might be back...

0 ( +2 / -2 )

So basically a proven pedophile walking free with a symbolic fine. Gotta love those "imune" politicians. All over the world.

The laws are for the plebes, for the drones and sucker's, not for those people..

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

DanteKH

So basically a proven pedophile walking free with a symbolic fine. Gotta love those "imune" politicians. All over the world.

There is nothing in the article that describes him as a "proven pedophile". Apparently he is turned on by seeing naked men of all ages. So you can assume he is gay and a voyeur. But there is nothing in the article hinting at pedophilia. I do not understand why some people are so eager to apply these labels.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Fighto

If I was a cleaning man, I would be considered a perv if entering women's changing rooms.

You know equal people's rights ?

I am not that shy at all but I don't want a woman to see my genitals. Is that clear ?

The cleaning lady do not announce their coming and may be right next to you when she cleans. Not acceptable for minimal respect of privacy, except if rule was mentioned explicitly somewhere. And to be clear for westerners, there are no changing booths so no possibility to hide.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Jonathan Prin

You know equal people's rights ?

What does that have to do with anything?

I am not that shy at all but I don't want a woman to see my genitals. Is that clear ?

They do not stare at your genitals. Firstly, you can be sure they are not interested in inspecting them, and secondly there is something called etiquette

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Zaphod

If you would have bother reading the article, it was written exactly on the first sentence:

A Japanese summary court on Thursday fined a former counselor at the Singapore Embassy 300,000 yen after he secretly took images of a naked schoolboy at a public bath in Tokyo earlier this year.

Still think it is not a pedo??

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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