Over 100 Voyeurism Victims: Tanning Salon Manager Reveals Thrills and Regrets

“I want to see the genitals of women who are dressed the way I like them.”

On September 5, Hiroki Yamamoto (62), the defendant, was arrested and later indicted for the crime of taking illicit photos of women in sexual poses while they were using tanning machines at a tanning salon he operated. The initial trial was held on November 14 at the Tokyo District Court.

The defendant, Yamamoto, appeared in court wearing a black suit and with a balding head mixed with white hair. His posture was straight, and his muscular build was visible even through the suit. His dark, tanned skin left a strong impression, likely a result of his tanning habits.

According to the indictment, Yamamoto secretly took photos of the genital and buttocks areas of four women, referred to as A-D, while they were using tanning machines at his salon, using a smartphone or digital camera aimed from below. Yamamoto admitted to the charges, stating, “There is no mistake.”

Yamamoto opened his tanning salon 30 years ago and, upon his arrest, admitted to repeatedly taking voyeuristic photos of over 100 women. Several hundred photos were found on his seized smartphone, according to investigators.

Yamamoto explained his motive for the crimes, saying,

“I was interested in women’s clothing and underwear, and I wanted to see the genitals of women dressed in my preferred style.”

Known for his extensive knowledge of tanning, Yamamoto had gained the trust of many customers who sought his advice. One of the victims, a 22-year-old woman (A), had used the salon eight times. On her fifth visit, she heard the sound of a camera shutter from below and consulted a friend. At that time, the friend reassured her by saying,

“Yamamoto wouldn’t do something like that.”

However, on a subsequent visit, she heard the shutter sound again, so she placed her phone by her pillow to record a video, which revealed Yamamoto in the frame. During the opening statements, the prosecutor read aloud the emotional distress experienced by the four victims.

 

On the day that she and her boyfriend were in the store and the three of them were chatting.

Person A said,

“I became really scared when I realized that it was probably to peek, even though they had been teaching me kindly. It’s disgusting and unforgivable.”

They expressed their anger, and then Person B (25) also said,

“The tanning technique was good, but it’s really disappointing. I can’t believe I was filmed when I was talking with my boyfriend and the two of us inside the store. I can’t forgive that.”

In the past, the store employed part-time workers, but around 16 years ago, Defendant Yamamoto began running the shop alone. The reason was shocking: it was to create situations where he could have one-on-one interactions with customers and easily engage in hidden filming.

“He became excited by the thrill of filming and started to get aroused by it.”

Defendant Yamamoto stated the above and claimed that the purpose of his actions was hidden filming. The seized SD cards contained images of private parts and buttocks. In cases of hidden filming, victims fear the leakage of images, but

“I did not view the images, nor did I use them for masturbation. I did not leak them to the outside.”

He denied the leakage. Finally, he said,

“I betrayed the trust of the customers and used my position as the store manager to commit a crime. The store, which became a breeding ground for crime, has been closed.”

With tears, he expressed regret.

A settlement has already been reached with the two victims. He paid 1 million yen in compensation to the woman who rejected the settlement and stated that he would sincerely address the remaining one once contact is made. The prosecution is seeking a 10-month prison sentence, stating that the crime was malicious and habitual. Defendant Yamamoto’s foolish actions not only betrayed customer trust but also tarnished the image of the entire industry.