Prosecutors yesterday sought a prison term of at least one year and six months for a Japanese man after he was again caught allegedly filming women in Taipei last month.
The suspect, 33-year-old Takanori Sasaki, was arrested on Nov. 6 near Exit 3 of Zhongshan MRT Station after bystanders saw him with a phone hidden in his bag under a woman’s skirt, the Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office said.
The woman immediately contacted police, and a court later ordered his detention.
Photo: Wu Cheng-feng, Taipei Times
Shilin prosecutors said they were seeking the 18-month sentence to deter repeat offending, adding that Sasaki “showed no remorse” despite two similar incidents earlier this year — one in June and another in August.
He was charged with illegally recording sexual images under the Criminal Code.
Sasaki in June allegedly used a GoPro to secretly film under a woman’s skirt while riding an escalator at Exit R2 of the Zhongshan Underground Mall in downtown Taipei. He was arrested and detained during the investigation.
On July 21, the Shilin District Court sentenced him to four months in prison, commutable to a fine. He was released the next day, but barred from leaving Taiwan because he appealed the ruling. However, his appeal was rejected on Nov. 27, meaning the verdict was final.
Sasaki was again suspected of upskirting in August, this time in the Ximending area. Witnesses again reported his behavior to police, and he was arrested at the scene.
The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted him last month, and that case is now before the Taipei District Court.
Sasaki was working for the agriculture, forestry and fisheries department of the Iwate Prefectural Government in Japan at the time of the first incident. The prefectural government later apologized publicly for his conduct.
The Shilin District Court is to review the latest indictment and the prosecution’s request for a prison term of no less than one year and six months.
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