The incident happened during a overnight picnic organized by a daycare center, according to The Japan Times on February 4.
Sources from the Japanese police agency said that the suspect is Masaaki Kimura, currently working at a school in Shinjuku district, Tokyo. At the investigating agency, Kimura denied all charges.
According to the case file, Kimura is suspected of sneaking into the bedroom and having an act of touching the lower body of a primary school student. The incident took place in Tateshina, Nagano Prefecture, from the night of January 5 to the morning of January 6, 2024. At that time, the suspect was working as a support staff at the above-mentioned childcare center.
Investigators revealed that affiliated kindergartens and childcare centers have also reported similar acts of sexual abuse against dozens of children.
Kimura is believed to have committed these depraved acts for the past 4 years. The suspect has been suspended from work since October last year, after a related case was brought to light. Through searches, police seized the suspect's smartphone, which contained about 1,200 pornographic images, including about 360 files of child pornography.
According to information on the school's website, this educational institution operates 24/24h, specializing in receiving children of medical staff, civil servants and restaurant staff, with the youngest age being from 43 days old.
Sharing about the suspect, a parent whose child is studying here expressed surprise when describing Kimura as a "friendly teacher, always greeting everyone with a warm smile".
The Chairman of the school's board of directors affirmed that he will "thoroughly verify the details and take strict handling measures".
