Man Arrested Over Sexual Videos of 200 Schoolgirls in Online Sugar Dating Case

The suspect, an employee of an organization in Okinawa Prefecture, was rearrested on October 1 after previously being arrested three times over similar allegations. Investigators have discovered approximately 200 folders containing images and videos of girls believed to be junior high and high school students, suggesting that the number of potential victims could be as high as 200.

According to court proceedings and police investigations, the man approached girls through social media, initially sending friendly messages expressing support and encouragement. After establishing communication, he would gradually explore whether they had any sexual interest before proposing payments in exchange for explicit videos.

In one example of the messages described during the investigation, the suspect offered 5,000 yen for two five-minute videos showing the girl’s face and naked body.

Rather than arranging to meet the girls, the man allegedly instructed them to expose themselves or perform sexual acts during video calls, sometimes recording the interactions without their knowledge. Payments ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of yen were made through electronic money transfers.

Investigators found that the suspect had organized the material on his smartphone into individual folders, using information such as the girls’ names and places of origin as folder titles. Approximately 200 such folders have been identified.

During court proceedings in September, the defendant acknowledged the acts described in the charges but reserved his response to the question of whether he knew the girls involved were younger than 16. Following his latest arrest on October 1, he remained silent during police questioning.

The case has highlighted a form of online sexual exploitation increasingly described in Japan as “non-meeting papakatsu,” or sugar dating without physical contact. The practice involves adults offering money or gifts to younger people in exchange for sexual content, using social media and video calls instead of arranging face-to-face encounters.

One characteristic of the approach is that perpetrators may initially appear friendly and supportive, gradually building trust before making sexual requests.

Interviews with young people revealed that such approaches are not uncommon on social media. Some said strangers had attempted to establish friendships online before asking to see their faces or requesting photographs.

One young person described being approached by someone who first suggested becoming friends and then asked to see their face. Others reported receiving requests for photographs or sexually suggestive material.

Several expressed fear at the number of strangers making such requests, saying the experience had made them more cautious about interacting with unfamiliar accounts.

However, specialists warn that the risks can become far more serious once a minor sends intimate material, even if the two parties never meet.

Nagamori, the representative of an organization that reports illegally obtained intimate images and other forms of online sexual exploitation, said many victims are unaware that their photographs and videos are being distributed or sold.

“Most of the children who are victims do not know that their videos or images are being sold,” Nagamori said.

He explained that intimate material can be circulated among large numbers of people without the victim’s knowledge, exposing minors to repeated exploitation long after the original interaction.

During the investigation, Nagamori demonstrated how footage obtained through video calls was being traded on Telegram, a messaging application that offers private groups and channels.

One account appeared to be advertising recordings of sexual video calls involving junior high school girls. Its description claimed to have more than 100 recordings available.

The account was presented as evidence that material collected through non-meeting sugar dating arrangements can be treated as a commercial product and sold to strangers.

In some cases, sellers also identify the victims’ social media accounts and offer personal information alongside the videos.

Nagamori warned that photographs and recordings may inadvertently reveal names, school affiliations or residential areas, allowing buyers to identify the children involved.

Such information can create dangers extending beyond the internet, potentially exposing victims to stalking, unwanted contact or further sexual exploitation.

“If information such as names, school names or residential areas is included in the images or videos, the harm may not end online and could develop into more serious incidents involving physical contact,” Nagamori said.

He emphasized that the belief that online-only relationships are safe simply because the participants never meet is seriously mistaken.

The investigation also uncovered evidence that the trade in such material was continuing in real time.

While Nagamori was demonstrating the online activity, a new recording apparently showing a video call involving a student was uploaded to a group chat with approximately 2,000 members.

The accompanying message sought potential buyers for the recording.

The incident illustrated how quickly material obtained through seemingly private exchanges can be distributed to large audiences and offered for sale without the consent or knowledge of the people depicted.

Nagamori said some children may have sent photographs or videos without fully understanding the consequences, only for the material to become merchandise traded among strangers.

Experts also warned that even a single photograph can expose a child to blackmail, particularly when someone threatens to publish or distribute intimate material unless additional images, money or other demands are provided.

Once an image or video has been uploaded and circulated online, removing it completely can be extremely difficult. Copies may be downloaded, stored and redistributed repeatedly, making it almost impossible to determine how widely the material has spread.

The case has raised questions about how parents, schools and authorities can better communicate these dangers to young people.

Education was identified as an important part of prevention, with calls for schools to provide more systematic instruction about online sexual exploitation, the permanence of digital images and the risks of interacting with strangers who offer money or gifts.

The investigation also raised concerns about the terminology used to describe such relationships. The Japanese term “papakatsu,” commonly associated with younger women receiving financial support from older men, can make the activity sound casual or relatively harmless despite the serious risks involved when minors are targeted.

The absence of physical meetings may further lower psychological barriers, making children more willing to participate in exchanges they might otherwise recognize as dangerous.

Under Japan’s laws against sexual exploitation of minors, requesting sexually explicit images or videos from a person younger than 16 can itself constitute a criminal offense in applicable circumstances, even if the requested material is never sent.

This means that an adult making such demands through social media may already be committing a crime at the point of making the request, regardless of whether any physical contact takes place.

The case involving the Okinawa suspect has brought attention not only to the methods used to obtain intimate recordings from schoolgirls but also to a wider online market in which such material can be secretly bought and sold.

With personal information sometimes circulating alongside the images, victims may face continuing threats to their privacy and safety long after the original exchange.

The findings underline the importance of recognizing that financial offers made through social media can conceal serious exploitation, and that the consequences of sharing intimate material may extend far beyond a private video call.

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Source: KTV NEWS