Courtroom Shock: The Fake Photographer’s Brazen Vision for His Future (Part 1)

A crime committed again while still under a suspended sentence

“I would like to cooperate with organizations that work to prevent (sexual) offending before it occurs.”

Defendant Hiromi Yamada (55 at the time), who called himself a photographer and approached a junior-high-school girl saying “Let me take your picture,” then allegedly committed an indecent act, said this in his final statement during the 7th hearing on September 30 when asked what he wanted to do after rehabilitation.

On November 6, the Tokyo District Court will hand down its verdict for Yamada, who is charged with non-consensual indecency. Below is a look back at what the hearings have revealed about his actions and claims.

“A year ago, on November 5, 2024, the Ikebukuro Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department arrested the unemployed Yamada from Saitama City on suspicion of indecent kidnapping and non-consensual sexual acts. Yamada is suspected of luring junior-high-school girl A (then 13) into a park in Toshima Ward in mid-August and sexually assaulting her.

Yamada approached A while she was walking alone, saying things like ‘You have a great figure, let me take your photo,’ took her to several parks to take photos, and committed the crime in the last park. Yamada admits to committing indecent acts but partially denies the sexual assault.” —National newspaper social affairs reporter

This is not Yamada’s first arrest or indictment.

“In July 2023, he approached two junior-high-school girls saying, ‘Can I take your photo?’ then pretended to direct their poses so he could touch their bodies in a park in Saitama City. He was arrested on suspicion of forcible indecency, and on October 19 that same year, he received a sentence of 1 year and 2 months in prison with a 4-year suspended sentence and probation for violating the Public Nuisance Prevention Ordinance. This time, he committed a similar act while still under suspended sentence.” —Same reporter

Yamada frequently visited anime shops in Ikebukuro and would approach girls in the area known as “Otome Road.” In court, he stated, “There are a lot of girls I like (in those anime shops).”

When he approached her, A — who appeared as a witness — described the moment as follows:
(5th hearing, June 26)

“When I was walking toward the anime shop, a man I didn’t know — carrying a backpack — asked me, ‘Got a minute?’ He spoke quickly and casually, saying, ‘I do photography work with models. I won’t show your face, so let me take some photos of you in the park over there.’ Then he asked my age, so I told him, ‘I’m in junior high.’”

A was unable to refuse and ended up agreeing to the photos. A’s mother testified, “My daughter is gentle by nature, so I think it’s hard for her to firmly say ‘No’ to an unfamiliar adult.”

During questioning (Aug. 19, 6th hearing), Yamada described the day as follows:

“At first, she didn’t want to, but when I said, ‘I won’t take your face — even just from the neck down is fine,’ she sort of said, ‘If it’s just a little.’ I don’t remember whether I asked her age. I thought she looked like a high school student, but some twenty-year-olds look like kids, so I didn’t worry much about her age.”

A was led by Yamada to a nearby park, where the photos were taken.

“He showed me photos he had taken before — girls whose faces weren’t shown, or full-body photos of girls wearing masks. While showing me those pictures, he said, ‘I’ll take them like this.’” (A)

After a few photos, Yamada urged her to move to another park. While walking, he noticed the character badge on A’s bag and said, “A girl I met earlier had a similar badge.”

Then, at the second park, Yamada showed A something shocking.

The Shocking Future Vision the Defendant Spoke of in Court

“When we first sat together on a bench, he held out his smartphone and said, ‘Type your name here, and read the items above it to see if you agree.’ What was written there included things like: ‘You must never tell your parents, acquaintances, or friends,’ and ‘You permit me to photograph and touch you from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.’

I thought, This is seriously dangerous, and decided I would absolutely tell my parents as soon as I got home. I signed with a fake name.” (A)

It appears Yamada came up with this so-called consent form after his July 2023 arrest. About the form, he testified (Aug. 19, 6th hearing):

“When adjusting jackets or skirts, sometimes I ended up touching the body, like the butt—so I was warned during the arrest the year before. That’s why I started getting signatures for permission. I never touch people for anything other than the purpose of taking photos. When A wrote her name, I got excited thinking I could take lots of pictures.”

After several photos, they moved to yet another park. When the prosecutor asked A, “If you thought it was dangerous, why didn’t you try to run away?” she replied:

“I didn’t know if he was fast or slow. I was terrified of what might happen if I ran and got caught, so I couldn’t run.”

At the third park, A was taken into a restroom where he told her, “Take off everything except your socks.” When she refused, saying “That’s impossible,” they went back to the second park. There, he put his hands inside her clothes and touched her lower body and other areas, she testified.
Yamada admits touching her thighs and calves but denies touching her lower body.

Yamada apologized to A and her parents during the trial. When asked by his lawyer what he wanted to do in the future, he repeated what he said in his final statement:

“I’d like to work with an NPO to reduce future victims and perpetrators. Using my own experience, I want to give lectures or write, explaining things like, ‘Kids with this appearance are more likely to be approached.’”

Despite having been previously arrested, Yamada went so far as to create a consent form, a deceitful tactic, to commit this crime again. Even if he suddenly tries to position himself as someone who prevents crime, no one would trust such a person.

During questioning, Yamada often smiled or responded in a joking tone. A’s parent, who was deeply worried for her daughter, expressed intense anger toward his actions.

In the later part, we cover statements from A’s mother, who expressed anger at the defendant’s attitude, in which no remorse could be felt.

Later Part: The defendant, speaking in a whisper as if confessing a secret, said “Because I’m a leg fetishist” — revealing his utter lack of remorse.

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