On December 20, Oita Broadcasting (OBS) reported a case that has attracted widespread attention. The incident took place on September 6 at around 8 pm. In an outdoor public toilet in Oita Prefecture.
The victim, a man in his 80s who had no business, was allegedly attacked by a 41-year-old Chinese company employee named Yang. Police say the act involved sexual contact without consent.
The elderly man later reported the incident to the police, saying, "I was attacked." Investigators opened the case and eventually arrested Yang as a suspect.
During interrogation, the suspect admitted wrongdoing, saying, "It was not a mistake."
Authorities are still investigating whether there was prior contact between the two and are piecing together a full timeline of events.
Japan has tightened penalties for non-consensual sex crimes in recent years. The 2023 amendment to the Penal Code made it clear that sexual activity without consent is a criminal offence.
Cases of sexual crimes against senior citizens are not rare in Japan, with reports emerging frequently from parks and streets. Most criminals are Japanese, but when the suspects are foreign nationals, the media tends to highlight those cases more, sparking debate about foreign crime.
Police stressed that nationality is only an identifier in reports – the crime itself is an individual act.
Here are excerpts from the top-rated comments from Japanese netizens:
"It is heartbreaking. He must have been frightened. An 80-year-old man cannot fight someone young. If he resisted, he would be afraid of being killed. Crime is not about nationality, but reckless acts are on the rise. I hope strict entry rules will be set and criminals will be punished appropriately."
"Foreign crime may be on the rise, but the bottom line is this: criminals should face deportation and a ban on re-entry. Serving time should not mean they can return freely."
"China keeps complaining about Japan's security. But aren't their own citizens ruining Japan's public security? It feels shameless to say that out loud."
"The fact that an 80-year-old man was attacked shocked me. It's a harsh reminder that anyone can be a victim, regardless of age or gender."
"This reflects reality: in a world where anything can happen, we need widespread awareness. Being prepared does not mean treating events as 'unexpected', but facing them calmly."
