Overview
- Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested a 35-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of violating the Child Welfare Law for inducing obscene acts after an investigation into online grooming and paid‑dating contacts.
- Police say the suspect posed as a junior‑high school girl on social media to recruit 'papa‑katsu' partners and arranged a hotel meeting that led to sexual acts between a then‑14‑year‑old and an older man.
- Investigators allege he coerced victims by photographing a student ID and forcing installation of a location‑tracking app so the girls could not escape and one victim told police she felt she had no choice.
- The suspect told police he carried out the scheme to 'help' girls doing papa‑katsu and described extorting cash from adult partners by posing as the victim's relative after encounters.
- Authorities say similar acts were carried out about ten times and the Juvenile Division is actively seeking additional victims and evidence as the probe continues; papa‑katsu refers to compensated dating and Japanese child‑welfare laws ban causing minors to perform obscene acts.