Cop arrested for taking picture of woman’s legs on train in Kanagawa

Monday 12th January, 10:35 AM JST

KANAGAWA —

A 59-year-old police lieutenant was arrested early Monday for violating a Kanagawa public nuisance ordinance, accused of taking pictures on his cell phone of a woman sitting across from him on a train on Sunday.

Shigeyuki Usui, head of the traffic section at the Misaki police station in Miura City, is accused of taking a picture of a 24-year-old woman’s legs as she sat across from him on the Keikyu line at about 6 p.m. on Sunday. The man sitting with the woman told police he noticed Usui’s cell phone camera flash and heard the camera function twice. He took Usui to station staff when the train stopped at Kanazawabunko station.

One photo of the woman’s legs was found stored on Usui’s cell phone, but he has denied the allegation, saying: “I pressed the wrong button on my phone. I didn’t mean to take a picture.” Usui also said he had been drinking at a friend’s house in Yokosuka City and was on his way home.

News reports

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Latest 15 of 58 Total Comments Show All

notimpressed at 03:24 PM JST - 13th January

So was it not out of line when I got annoyed at people taking photos with professional camera equipment of me and my girl while in an onsen, which was vaguely visible from a lookout? It was in thier field of vision, but it was too far for details, lucky for them they had big lennses with which to zoom in on me and my girl, even luckier for them they were on the other side of the river where i couldnt throw a rock at thier camera or head.

Even if legs are not that big a deal, it is a problem in Japan, where sad pervs take pic of strangers to take home and beat the meat to. Its rude, offensive,and insensitive. If its of the general area/ scenery and someone happens to be in the shot thats one thing,unavaoidable, but there has to be a limit to whats ok. for example, taking specific pictures of a specific person or persons body parts.

I have had kids taking my photo with thier cellphone while on the train. How rude!! I could see them do it, and hear the camera noise go off, Im a guy, I was not wearing leather pants withthe butt cutt outt, they were taking pictures of my foreign face, and it was a nuisance, and an invasion of my privacy. Damn, Im not even famous.Just a person trying to get the train home.

In this case the limit was set by the guy sitting with the girl. Good on him. People who want to take a picture of random stranger legs/panties/face without permission, just to make thier little fantasy last longer, should try getting a life and taking pictures of that instead.
dennis0bauer at 03:39 PM JST - 13th January

He was just investigating suspicious activities ;)
shouganaika at 10:13 PM JST - 13th January

Do I get angry when some guy hits on my wife? No, I congratulate her on being attractive enough to warrant the attention

I hope I get the chance to see you both together, tell her what smashing knockers she has and lean right in with my phone for a close up of them.
smithinjapan at 10:39 PM JST - 13th January

bushlover: "Smith: taking a picture while morally may not be so nice but is it really a 'crime'? Get a life mate. You like to make mountains out of molehills."

I guess you didn't even bother to read my post, since in it I said, "Not the crime of the century, IF EVEN A CRIME AT ALL..." Evidently it's you who needs to get a life and stop popping prematurely, along with the need for getting some reading glasses and a bit of self-esteem. Oh, and lay off the coffee.

"Too bad that there is only one more week for your favorite target."

Since you brought him up, I just want you to be rest assured just because bush walks out the door does not mean conversation about him will stop. In fact, I bet soon after he's gone you and you're cronies can finally rest easy because it'll allow you to forget all about the disasters bush has wrought on you and you can pretend they're all Obama's fault.
smithinjapan at 10:44 PM JST - 13th January

hakujinsensei: "I would have nothing to say to someone taking a picture of myself or my wife or my daughters. They all dress fashionably but not whorish. Do I get angry when some guy hits on my wife? No, I congratulate her on being attractive enough to warrant the attention."

Yeah, right... this from a guy who says he would "smash the wimp's face in" if someone got angry at you looking at his girlfriend's legs. Any kind of extreme reaction like that indicates you are imbalanced, and there's no way a person like that has the self-confidence enough to sit by and watch someone gawk at his wife, and ESPECIALLY at his little girls.

How about shouganai's comment: "I hope I get the chance to see you both together, tell her what smashing knockers she has and lean right in with my phone for a close up of them."

Would you simply compliment your wife on her body if shouganai did that? I mean, he didn't touch her, did he? He simply 'captured what was in his point of view'. Hahaha...

Get real, people. There's no way if the guy were doing something like this to the one you loved you would sit by and simply compliment her. If you did, I hope you get the dumping you deserve.
smithinjapan at 10:47 PM JST - 13th January

NYC Samurai: "He should have just admiringly asked if he could snap the shot."

Now THAT would be something to see, and hell, if the guy had the cahones to do it and she said yes, and her boyfriend didn't have any major qualms with it, then yeah.
shouganaika at 01:06 AM JST - 14th January

sorry, I didnt mean to say 'knockers' I meant to say 'yams'
Good_Jorb at 02:15 AM JST - 14th January

Smithinjapan - Had shouganaika been a female that you found attractive, would you still have a problem with 'her' saying those things to girlfriend/wife/etc. and then snapping a picture?
Vagante at 10:36 AM JST - 15th January

That somebody should be arrested for taking pictures of a scene that is clearly visible in public says more about the mental state of the people making this arrest than it does about the photographer. I don't believe this case has a leg to stand on but the cop has now had his career damaged.

If people do not want parts of themselves to be photographed in a public place, they should cover up.
kirakira25 at 05:36 PM JST - 15th January

Speaking as someone who had a complete stranger suddenly come up to her a few months ago while she was buying a ticket at a station, stick a camera in her face, take a shot of her face and chest (and I WASN`T remotely dressed as a whore - it was Autumn and I had a coat on) and run off, I can tell you that crime or not it was VERY unsettling.

I have no idea how this girl was dressed - she may have been wearing a knee-length skirt for all we know, but Im sorry, whichever way I look at it I cant justify anyone taking a picture of someone like that without their permission. I get that people take shots in the train and complete strangers happen to be in the shot, but there is a HUGE difference between that kind of shot and deliberately taking a secret shot of someones anatomy.
likeitis at 05:48 PM JST - 15th January

Speaking as someone who had a complete stranger suddenly come up to her a few months ago while she was buying a ticket at a station, stick a camera in her face

If that was done in anyway that appeared threatening to you, such as you fearing the camera would smash your face, that is the crime of assault.
kirakira25 at 07:27 PM JST - 15th January

It all happened so quickly. I heard the camera click, and for a second I didnt realise what had happened, and then it suddenly dawned on me. As he turned to run away I saw the phone screen was saving something. I went to the ticket gates to tell the guard what had just happened and when I looked back the guy was watching me from a short distance away. When he saw me looking at him he turned tail and fled. I didnt feel threatened particularly - it just all happened so fast, but it was REALLY creepy! I can imagine it upsetting a lot of people, or people accompanying them.

FYI it happened at Daimon station on the Oedo line, right by the ticket machines
Nessie at 12:31 AM JST - 16th January

If that was done in anyway that appeared threatening to you, such as you fearing the camera would smash your face, that is the crime of assault.

Not attempted assault? Or are you exagerating on purpose?
Nessie at 12:33 AM JST - 16th January

"I pressed the wrong button on my phone"

He meant to press the zoom button.
ralphrepo at 09:09 AM JST - 19th January

"I pressed the wrong button?" He had the phone's photo program software already active (towards what purpose?) when he "accidentally" pressed and inadvertently took her picture? Of course it could happen... everyone walks around with their cell phone's photo program engaged, don't we?

Please.