US Marine arrested for filming sex worker in Okinawa

A US Marine corporal has been arrested for filming a female sex worker in Naha, Okinawa.

The 22-year-old was arrested at the scene on May 4 for breaching a little-known law against filming sexual acts.

The Marine is attached to Camp Kinser (Machinato Service Area) in Urasoe on the main island of Okinawa. He told police, “I didn’t know it was illegal [to film].” And if we’re honest, that’s fair enough. While a customer likely knows it’s almost always against the brothel’s rules and liable to land you in trouble, it might surprise many that you can actually face arrest for filming your session without consent.

The law was enacted in July 2023 and Japanese netizens have also expressed their surprise about it. Violation of the law is punishable with a prison sentence of no more than three years or a fine of up to ¥3 million.

No mention is made in media reports of anyone getting arrested for offering penetrative sex for money.

Given how common sex tapes, amateur porn, and gonzo AV have become online, it’s inevitable that younger people who grew up consuming such content during puberty might think that it’s acceptable to make their own.

The marine is suspected of filming sex with a twentysomething woman at around 5 a.m. on May 4 at a brothel in Naha, the largest city in the southern prefecture of Okinawa.

A coworker of the woman realized he was filming illicitly and told the suspect to stop. When he apparently tried to escape, he was apprehended by staff. They called the local police and handed him over to the authorities.