"Cute, so I want to see you"... 70-Year-Old Japanese Man Arrested for Stalking Teenage Girl

Stalking Including Ambush Near Home
Unilateral Attraction to a Woman Seen for the First Time on the Street
"I Miss You" Ambushed in Front of Her House for Four Days... Arrested for the Third Time

The Saitama Prefectural Police arrested a 71-year-old man, Mr. A, on September 30 on suspicion of violating the Stalker Regulation Act. The man repeatedly engaged in acts such as hiding and waiting near the home of a teenage girl because he "wanted to see her." The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] A man in his 70s was arrested in Japan on charges of stalking a teenage girl. The man reportedly committed the crime by hiding and waiting near the woman's home simply because he "wanted to see her."

According to local media including the Saitama Shimbun on the 2nd, the Saitama Prefectural Police arrested a 71-year-old unemployed man, Mr. A, residing in Kawajima Town, on September 30 for violating the Anti-Stalking Law.

Mr. A is accused of stalking crimes, including lying in wait around the home of a teenage girl, Ms. B, for four consecutive days from the 27th to the 30th of last month.

Mr. A first became acquainted with Ms. B in December of last year. At that time, Mr. A encountered Ms. B, whom he had never met before, on the street, exchanged greetings, and then unilaterally developed an affection for her, beginning his stalking from that point.

Feeling threatened by Mr. A's continuous stalking behavior, the woman eventually reported him to the police in April.

In response, the police applied the Anti-Stalking Law to Mr. A, issuing two warnings and one restraining order, but Mr. A did not comply and was arrested twice before. This is Mr. A's third arrest.

During the police investigation, Mr. A reportedly stated, "When I first met her, I felt she was cute," and "I was lying in wait near her home because I wanted to see Ms. B."

Meanwhile, local netizens are voicing that the Anti-Stalking Law is ineffective.

They said, "We cannot trust the police or judges. Simple punishments only increase recidivism and the number of victims. Punishments should be strengthened and offenders isolated from society," raising concerns about the law's effectiveness.