jiji.com (Japanese only) and Sankei (Japanese only) report that the Japanese police had to release an alleged cabin voyeur because they failed to identify the crime location. This is after witnesses have identified the crime occurred at the Hyogo Prefecture airspace, pictures were found on the suspect's computer and the guy admitted to the charge! Sound ridiculous right?
The incident occurred during a Japan Airlines (JAL) flight from Takamasu to Tokyo Haneda on September 10 2012. The 34 year old man, who is a president of a company from Takamatsu, used a pinhole camera hidden in a ball pen to taken photos up the skirt of the cabin attendants. After the witness identified the crime occurred at the Hoyogo Prefecture airspace, the Tokyo Airport Police arrested the man on the suspicion of violating nuisance prevention ordinance of the Hyogo Prefecture the on the same day. The suspect admitted to the charges and a large collection of voyeuristic photos were found on his computer at home.
However, on October 12, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office decided to release the suspect on pending disposition. They believe it was insufficient to prove the crime occurred in the Hoyogo Prefecture based on the witnesses' testimonies alone. Airplanes were moving at a high speed and could be traveling in multiple prefectures in a matter of 10 seconds. Therefore without a definite crime location, the police couldn't identify the prefecture ordinance needed to charge the man. They also claim so far they haven't charged any cabin voyeur so far as this is the first arrest they have ever made.
Am I the only one that thinks this doesn't make any sense? They have the evidences and witness. The man even admitted to the charges. The only thing missing is the crime location? If it is that difficult to identify the crime location on the plane, maybe they need to revise the law to fix this loophole.
However, on October 12, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office decided to release the suspect on pending disposition. They believe it was insufficient to prove the crime occurred in the Hoyogo Prefecture based on the witnesses' testimonies alone. Airplanes were moving at a high speed and could be traveling in multiple prefectures in a matter of 10 seconds. Therefore without a definite crime location, the police couldn't identify the prefecture ordinance needed to charge the man. They also claim so far they haven't charged any cabin voyeur so far as this is the first arrest they have ever made.
Am I the only one that thinks this doesn't make any sense? They have the evidences and witness. The man even admitted to the charges. The only thing missing is the crime location? If it is that difficult to identify the crime location on the plane, maybe they need to revise the law to fix this loophole.
This is ridiculous. That man is creepy.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right, Yichuan. Even the police admitted there's a loophole in the law that makes them difficult to press charges :( Hopefully the CAs will be aware of him and be on high alert when serving him in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is that you can't violate a Hyogo Prefecture ordinance unless you are actually in Hyogo Prefecture. That's why the location is so important here. If he were over a different prefecture at the time, then different laws would apply.
ReplyDeleteYea, that's the unfortunate part of this. They should make a nation wide law or have a special law applies to planes. Hopefully they would do something to fix this loophole sooner or later (well I know they have more important issues to fix too...)
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