“I Can’t Remember Which Items” — Teacher Faces Allegations of Disturbing Conduct at Elementary School

“I secretly filmed students ranging from elementary school children to high school students.”

On June 24, the first hearing was held at the Tokyo District Court for 40-year-old elementary school teacher Kojiro Wakamatsu, who is charged with offenses including the filming of sexually explicit images of an eight-year-old girl, identified as Student A.

“By April 20, 2026, the Metropolitan Police Department had arrested Wakamatsu on suspicion of taking sexually exploitative images. He was accused of using a smartphone in June 2025 to film underneath the skirt of Student A while she was cleaning the classroom floor. According to investigators, Wakamatsu stated, ‘Ever since I became a teacher about 17 years ago, I have secretly filmed everyone from elementary school students to high school students,’ and, ‘Before I became a teacher, adult women were the object of my sexual interest, but after becoming an elementary school teacher, I developed feelings for children.'”

After his arrest, investigators reportedly found more than 10,000 videos featuring female students on a tablet seized from Wakamatsu. Analysis of the videos subsequently uncovered a series of additional alleged offenses.

“By May 13, the Metropolitan Police Department had rearrested Wakamatsu on suspicion of property damage. He allegedly rubbed his genitals against the drinking spout of Student A’s water bottle, which she had accidentally left behind in the classroom in October 2025, rendering it unusable. Wakamatsu reportedly admitted the offense, explaining that he had feelings for Student A and saying, ‘Even though I felt hesitant, I couldn’t suppress my excitement.’

Then, on June 3, he was rearrested for a second time on suspicion of damaging the swimsuit of another female student in July 2024 by rubbing his genitals against it. Wakamatsu reportedly stated, ‘There have been so many incidents that I can’t remember which was which.'” (Reporter from the social affairs desk of a national newspaper)

On June 15, Wakamatsu was arrested yet again, this time on suspicion of damaging the property of another female student. This marked his fourth arrest.

“He is accused of taking the gym clothes of an eight-year-old female student from a classroom at the elementary school where he worked and rendering them unusable by rubbing his genitals against them at home. Wakamatsu filmed the act on his smartphone and then returned the clothes to their original location without washing them. During questioning, he reportedly admitted the allegation, saying, ‘My memory is vague, but if there’s a video, then I suppose I must have done it.'” (same source)

When he was sent to prosecutors on June 17, Wakamatsu kept his head lowered and his body bent forward, exposing only the top of his head as he walked toward the vehicle so that his face could not be seen at all.

“What I mainly did was rub my lower body against their belongings.”

In footage of his previous transfers to prosecutors, Wakamatsu had displayed conspicuous and unusual behavior, repeatedly shaking his head violently from side to side while bent forward and suddenly puckering his lips.

In the courtroom, however, he showed no such strange behavior and sat quietly in the defendant’s seat. His large, round eyes gave him an almost friendly appearance, creating the impression that he might once have been a popular teacher among his students.

The crimes described in the indictment and opening statements, however, were extraordinarily disturbing.

On this day, Wakamatsu stood accused of secretly filming underneath the skirt of Student A while she was cleaning the classroom floor. He admitted the charge, saying:

“That’s correct.”

He explained that he had recorded the footage so that he could watch it later.

The prosecutor described how Wakamatsu’s crimes came to light:

“On April 16, 2026, the Board of Education received a report from the parent of a student at the defendant’s school stating that the defendant had been using his smartphone to photograph children. When the principal and other school officials questioned the defendant, they discovered videos showing him filming female students while they were cleaning the classroom, which led to the discovery of this case.”

According to a written statement read aloud by the prosecution, Wakamatsu reportedly made the following comments during questioning:

“Around July 2009, I began secretly filming students at elementary schools. However, rather than secretly filming them, what I mainly did was rub my genitals against the students’ gym clothes and other belongings.”

Student A’s father reportedly told investigators from the Metropolitan Police Department:

“I can’t bring myself to tell my daughter that the teacher she trusted did something like this. I don’t want him ever to work in a job involving children again.”

Future hearings are expected to examine the other alleged crimes in addition to the hidden filming charges. Why did Wakamatsu continue committing such acts? What will he reveal as the trial proceeds?

The proceedings have only just begun.

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