Senior Osaka police officer arrested for sexually assaulting a minor

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who will watch the watchmen?

It’s a rare Tokyo Kinky article that begins with a Latin quotation, but sometimes the story justifies such a flourish. And this one is almost stranger than fiction.

Superintendent Koji Tsujimoto has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting an underage girl. He was a leading figure in Osaka police’s “eliminate sugar daddy crime” squad, but it turns that he was himself engaged in sugar daddying (papakatsu) with the girl.

The 53-year-old, who was part of the Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters Public Safety Special Investigation Unit, was referred to the prosecutors on August 29 over an allegation that he assaulted a girl he knew to be under 16 in a karaoke booth in Osaka on late June.

Despite his long involvement with smashing illegal brothels and being number three in the police unit specifically targeting sugar daddy crime, Tsujimoto allegedly took paid leave on the afternoon in question in order to do papakatsu with a girl he met via social media.

The girl was then taken into protective custody in early July after her family reported her missing. An investigation was launched when she told officers that she had been assaulted.

Tsujimoto was identified as a suspect from surveillance camera footage.

The Public Safety Department deals with cases of stalking and crimes by minors as well as crimes against children and women.

Tsujimoto admits the allegation. He is one of five Osaka police officers arrested this year. The city and prefecture is currently cracking down on street prostitution and papakatsu.

“This is unacceptable behavior for a police officer and is completely unacceptable. We will take strict action based on the results of the investigation,” a senior figure in the Osaka Prefectural Police said.

It recalls the case of the prominent lawyer known for fighting sexual harassment getting sued — for sexual harassment.