Each week, here at Osaka.com, we bring you a selection of some of the top stories about Osaka making the local and national news here in Japan. Sometimes it’s serious, sometimes it’s funny, but it’s always direct to you, from Osaka.
Here’s a look at some of the stories hitting the headlines in Osaka this week.
Table of Contents
Child Predator Faces Further Charges
A former child welfare support worker from Osaka was arrested this week. He stands accused of taking indecent photos of girls at the welfare centers where he worked in Osaka and Yamagata Prefectures.
From April to September last year, the suspect, Ryo Fujiwara, from Toyono, Osaka Prefecture, took naked pictures of 17 different girls at the two facilities. All the victims were under the age of 5.
These latest charges come in addition to a further series of child sex offences or which Fujiwara is currently on trial. These include an indecent assault of a 2 year old girl in Saitama. In total, Fujiwara faces 7 different charges related to his conduct at child welfare centers during his employment.
Child Abuse Charges “May Just be Tip of the Iceberg”
As horrific as these acts of child abuse are, in Fujiwara’s case, they may just be the beginning of his troubles. Police seized computers and smartphones from his residence and found more than 900 sexually explicit images on them. Investigations are continuing to try to ascertain just how many of these images feature child victims.
The case also highlights, according to campaigners, the dire need for tighter regulation of employees in the child care sector. Fujiwara’s alleged actions are unquestionably vile, but they are certainly not unique. This, sadly, is but one of a litany of such child abuse cases to surface from Japan’s under resourced and often poorly regulated child welfare system.
The government has not issued a formal response to this latest child abuse case. The responded only to say that they “don’t comment on individual cases.” Nevertheless, this is the latest in a long line of such horrific crimes against children. It will only further increase public anger and heighten demand for the reforms in the child welfare system that are so clearly, badly needed.
Teachers Punished For Child Neglect, Bullying
In a far less repulsive, though still totally unacceptable case of child neglect, two Osaka Prefecture teachers faced disciplinary action this week. The 48 year old leader of the school handball club has been given a three month suspension. His subordinate, a 51 year old female teacher who assisted with club practice, was given a 10% pay cut for a duration of one month.
The teachers allegedly inflicted emotional distress on the club members by forcing several of them to shave their heads. Getting your hair cut extremely short, also known colloquially as a buzz cut, was something of a long-running custom in high school sports teams in Japan until fairly recently. Indeed, if you watch the annual Koshien High School Baseball Tournament this summer, you will see that several schools still continue this tradition.
However, others see it as an antiquated throwback to Japan’s militaristic past. Indeed, forcing students to cut their hair in this way has been banned for some time. The teacher is accused of using inflammatory language and emotional abuse towards the students when some of them expressed their desire not to get their heads shaved. His female subordinate also caused the children further distress when she told them that quitting the club “was not an option, and they should do as their teacher tells them.”
Toyonaka Municipal Board of Education has apologized for the incident.
In addition to disciplining the two teachers involved, they also pledged to review and, if necessary, update their procedures for child protection in such circumstances. A spokesperson for the Toyonaka BOE said: “We deeply apologize to the students and their parents for causing the hardship caused by this situation.”
And Finally…
Despite Japan’s legendary reputation for hospitality and comfort, it seems local hotel chains in Osaka are in for a tough time in the years ahead. Under plans announced this week, several foreign-owned hotel chains announced their further expansion in the city. Hilton, known around the world for their high-end suites, will launch their new “Canopy” hotel near JR Osaka Station in September. However, the crowning jewel of their expanded Osaka operation will see the city’s first “Waldorf Astoria” Hilton Hotel open in early 2025.
However, local hotel operators welcome the challenge. One expert in the travel field said: “Japanese hospitality is unique. Domestic hotel operators can remain competitive by leaning into this. They can also offer local insights, foods, and experiences that the larger international chains simply cannot.
One thing is for sure, tourists coming to Osaka in the next few years will be spoiled for choice.
That’s all for now but be sure to check back again same time next week for another round of this week in Osaka!
