Two Japanese Men Arrested in Child Pornography Case Over Filming in Myanmar and Laos

NAGOYA, Japan — Aichi Prefectural Police have arrested two Japanese men this week under Japan’s extraterritorial jurisdiction law for allegedly producing child pornography while abroad—one of whom is accused of filming a minor in Myanmar, while the other is said to have done so in Laos.

The first suspect, 60-year-old dentist Yoshihiro Shirai from Osaka, is alleged to have filmed an underage girl in Myanmar around October of last year. He denies knowledge of the victim’s age, stating that he “did not know she was under 18.” The other suspect, 65-year-old unemployed man Kazuhiko Uji from Nagoya, is accused of committing a similar offense at a hotel in Laos in March of this year. Uji has remained largely silent, offering minimal comment to investigators.

Authorities report that both individuals filmed girls in lewd contexts and are suspected of distributing the footage. Investigators confiscated small cameras and video files from their homes, which a medical expert has reviewed and confirmed involve minors. During pre-arrest questioning, both men admitted paying women for sex; Uji alleged it was consensual, stating “we had mutual romantic feelings,” while Shirai said the victim “looked like she was in her 30s” and that he filmed her with “consent.”

The arrests underscore Japan’s application of laws designed to curb child abuse, even when it takes place overseas. The Foreign Ministry has issued reminders that child pornography and sexual exploitation committed abroad by Japanese citizens remain prosecutable offenses under domestic law.

Experts caution that factors such as poverty and weak child protection systems in parts of Southeast Asia—including Laos and Myanmar—have made minors more vulnerable to exploitation by foreign predators. Advocacy groups argue that these arrests send a vital message on deterrence and international accountability.

Investigations are ongoing, with police seeking to determine whether the accused acted alone or participated in a broader network involved in trafficking or illicit content creation. If convicted, both men face serious legal penalties in Japan, including years in prison under its child protection statutes.