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A middle-aged man and woman were seen running in desperation with a video camera in hand – only to be caught and handed over to police officers, while their 9-year-old son cried in confusion, not understanding what was happening to his parents.
The incident took place late in the afternoon of June 28, when families were getting ready to leave the public gymnasium in Yokohama’s Hodogaya Ward. A 43-year-old woman using the restroom noticed a strange item – a black cable coming out of a roll of toilet paper. She immediately knew someone was secretly filming her.
At the same moment she left the cubicle to report what she had found, a woman in the next cubicle jumped out. While the two women struggled, a man appeared, grabbed the toilet roll-camera from the hands of the woman, and attempted to flee. Several men who heard the shouting and plea to stop the running man successfully captured him. As suspected, there was a camera hidden in the the toilet paper roll.
The couple was arrested at the scene on suspicion of disturbing public peace. The male suspect was identified as Noriyoshi Sano, 44, an art teacher at Caritas Elementary School, and the female suspect as his wife Naoko, 42. Caritas is a prestigious Catholic school that offers education from kindergarten through junior college and is popular among the wealthy.
The arrest of one of the faculty came as a tremendous shock to everyone involved, including the students, parents and school staff. The psychological impact was amplified by the suspects’ confession that they had filmed the videos countless times for the past five years, which suggested the possibility that they had committed the crime on the Caritas campus as well. School staff immediately inspected all toilets on campus for any hidden cameras.
Despite the nature of the crime, the art teacher and his wife were well thought of by many people. As one former student comments, “He came to visit me when I caught the flu and was absent from school. He brought a homemade cake from his wife to wish me well. At graduation, his wife gave hand-made straps to the students as a gift, and the teacher handed congratulation letters addressed to each student.”
The primary school headmaster also had positive comments about the teacher, who often painted portraits of retiring staff as a farewell gift, and described him as a warm-hearted individual. Public impression of the man, a teacher at a private school that advocates Catholic love as the educational mission, and his wife contrasts sharply with the couple’s private fetish for secret filming.
Copious evidence has been confiscated from the couple’s home, according to police investigators. At least 300 60-minute digital videotapes – enough to fill four boxes – have been seized, most of which are suspected to be secretly filmed images. The arrested couple stated that the motivation was their personal entertainment. But investigators are skeptical, and are currently looking into the husband’s bank account for transactions that would indicate the filming was for sale online.
© Japan Today
21 Comments
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maryhinge
What a total mess. I feel for their 9 year old son.
Feekalmatter
Why would people of their "intellectual calibre" need to watch so many number 1's and 2's ?
OhioDonna
I agree, what a mess. I hope the little boy gets the support and help he needs.
sfjp330
This guy should be fired from teaching and being close to children. He and his wife should be put into jail and register them as sex offender. 18,000 minutes of sick tapes? How many people they taped? They should have class action civil and criminal case. Put the kid up for adoption. These parents are sick.
cooeecobber
How about you wait for a conviction, before venting your collective spleens?
noborito
I wonder where they got this idea, could it be donkihote where they proudly sell a lavatory shot poster? It is proudly displayed along with Bob Marley mosaic. The lavatory cam is something that is done around the world. i find it a bit disturbing, but why the outcry when people are paying for this kind of crap and stores in Japan display it proudly.
timeon
I'm sure they were very nice guys; however, they had this obsession, and they let it out of control. I don't consider personal fantasies, even if they appear sick, wrong; as long as they don't affect/hurt other people. they could watch each other, or buy the countless DVDs on sale here, or go to a specialized fuzoku. now they will just go to jail
Jkanda
On other child porn news items on JT I was often referring to this kind of a case. I have come across several instances where the regular people we meet at work, leisure etc are involved in this kind of activity. Some of them just like this family, have a normal life on the outside. They live in good mansions or condos with high security. Don Quixote has some wierd DVDs and some funny flyers, and was wondering who supplies them these material. I also heard that copies are produced and distributed to other cities by individuals who want to make extra money.
dr_jones
@sfjp330
Who made you the judge, jury and executor in one person?
Altria
The jury needs to see the evidence before passing judgment.
societymike
I need to see some of this "evidence" on an internet video hosting site.
LoveUSA
I should order inspection for hidden cameras in the places I go to work and live. There are so many sick people around that I freak out at the thought the stalkers and idiots will do anything to get a glimpse of a person's private life.
scoobydoo
Another weird J crime.
soldave
This is in Japan. Why is anyone shocked at it?
ca1ic0cat
We had the owner of a marina that we kept our boat at install hidden cameras in the women's shower. And his daughter's bedroom. Perversion honors no single nationality.
sfjp330
Re: dr_jones 7th July "Who made you the judge, jury and executor in one person?"
Your right, they are only accused. My opinion is that this type of statement is what is wrong with Japan. Japan has exceptional poor records on enforcing child porn problem and they look as though this is not a problem. Japan does not protect children well. In U.S., if they are teachers working with children, even with accusation only, they will be placed on leave of absence and not near children. If convicted, they are fired.
yokomoc
If it's for personal comsumption and enjoyment as they claim (dubious) it's a bit weird that thay both have the same fetish. Makes you wonder how they'd have met each other...
Pukey2
Family values at the core of education, no doubt.
terebiko
Why are some posters saying child porn? This is a case of a hidden camera in a toilet, and was being used to film adults. That said, pretty sick, if you ask me....
illsayit
I think the Christians have gone a bit too far with the, Christian=sinner thing, and arent seeing and protecting the innocent. Why would a woman listen to her husband to help with such a project?
realist
Lets face it, folks, Japan is a land of pervs of all kinds, getting their rocks off in the most perverted ways imaginable.