A 31-year-old former baby sitter convicted of forcible sexual intercourse and other indecent acts on 20 boys aged 5 to 11 years old has appealed his 20-year prison term to a higher court.
The defense of Akinori Hashimoto had maintained that some of his behavior detailed in the indictment was "close physical contact" and did not constitute a crime. They also said he has a "low chance of reoffending," arguing that a 10-year prison term was proportionate.
According to the Aug. 30 Tokyo District Court ruling, Hashimoto committed the acts from 2015 to 2020 in areas including Tokyo, the nearby prefectures of Kanagawa, Shizuoka and Yamanashi, and Hiroshima in western Japan. In addition to baby-sitting assignments, abuse also occurred in children's care facilities and camps.
Hashimoto, also found guilty of violating child prostitution and pornography prohibition laws, found some of his victims by registering with an app that connects baby sitters with families, highlighting the difficulties of keeping pedophiles away from such services.
Hashimoto appealed the ruling Monday. Prosecutors had sought 25 years in prison.
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Ex-baby sitter gets 20 years in prison for sexually abusing 20 boys
