66-Year-Old Security Guard Lures Boy into Restroom with Game Tokens in Despicable Act

He lured the boy by saying, “I’ll give you a token.”

An incident in which a child became a victim of sexual assault occurred in April 2024 at Nakano Broadway, a place known as a sacred ground of subculture.

Nakano Broadway is located just past the arcade street exit of JR Nakano Station (Nakano Ward, Tokyo). It opened in 1966 as Japan’s first shopping center and residential complex. It is densely packed with specialty shops selling second-hand manga, trading cards, anime-related products, and more. Since the collapse of the economic bubble in the 1990s, it has come to be regarded as a sacred ground for otaku and subculture culture.

The first trial of Mitsuru Terao (66 at the time of arrest, 65 at the time of the incident), who is charged with sexual assault for touching the lower body of a young boy in a toilet stall, was held on November 5 at the Tokyo District Court.

Terao appeared in court wearing a slightly oversized suit, which did not quite fit his slim body. He looked nervous, but with his thinning hair and glasses, he appeared quite aged, giving the impression of a kindly old man at first glance. However, beneath this appearance, he had committed a despicable crime.

According to the indictment, Terao is accused of, in April 2024, at a game center in Nakano Broadway.

“If you let me touch your private parts, I will give you game center tokens.”

He approached the boy (12 years old at the time of the incident) and said, “If you let me touch your private parts, I will give you game center tokens.” When they were alone, he took the boy into a toilet, and after telling him, “I’ll give you 10,000 yen,” he proceeded to engage in oral sex and other acts over the course of 25 minutes. Afterward, he allegedly gave the boy 10,000 yen and other cash.

Terao slowly walked toward the witness stand and, when the indictment was read aloud by the prosecution, he acknowledged it, saying, “There’s no mistake.”

 

The blind spot of Nakano Broadway

“The boy used the 10,000 yen he received to purchase about 9,000 yen worth of Pokémon cards. However, he later consulted with his friends. On the same day, he confided in his mother about the incident, and the case was discovered.” (Law enforcement sources)

At the time of his arrest, Terao denied the charges, but DNA from the defendant was found on the boy’s underwear, which had been submitted by the mother. Additionally, surveillance footage from inside the store recorded Terao approaching multiple boys, not just the victim.

“At Nakano Broadway, many stores are crammed into small spaces, and the hallways outside the main street are so intricately winding that it’s easy to lose track of your location. Terao may have chosen this location for his crime because it has areas where children tend to gather, and due to the building’s structure, many spots become blind spots.

On November 6, another incident occurred in the same facility’s restroom, where a man in his 30s was suddenly punched by an unknown man after exiting the restroom, and his ring was stolen. It seems urgent to implement measures such as increasing security cameras and placing guards in areas frequented by children.” 

In this case, the child confided in the police about the incident on the same day, and the discovery of DNA on the underwear was the key factor leading to the quick arrest.

“The child who was sexually assaulted may not have understood the seriousness of the situation at first. The perpetrator cleverly exploited the child’s psychology to lure them into the crime. Even if the child couldn’t comprehend it at the time, as they grow older, they may come to understand what happened and suffer as a result. Therefore, psychological care from a specialist is important.” (Counselor)

According to the opening statement, Terao was living with his wife and daughter while working as a security guard. On the other hand, it was revealed that in 1978, when he was in his 20s, he had a criminal record for forcible indecency. After 46 years, he once again resorted to crime. The reason why sexual crimes against children continue to persist is precisely because such offenders are hiding in plain sight.