2-5-2024 (SINGAPORE) An official from Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has been relieved of duties pending investigations following accusations of filming a minor at a public bath in Japan.
The ministry stated, “We will cooperate fully with the Japanese authorities and take all necessary actions. We are also prepared to waive diplomatic immunity to facilitate investigations if the alleged facts are confirmed.”
According to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, diplomats are typically immune from arrest.
Reports from Japanese media on Thursday indicated that a diplomat stationed at the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo was interrogated by local law enforcement after suspicions arose regarding the filming of a 13-year-old boy at a public bath.
MFA became aware of these allegations on Wednesday when approached by Japanese media. The ministry confirmed that the accusations were directed at one of its officials who had previously served at the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo.
“The staff member in question had completed his tour of duty as scheduled and returned to Singapore in mid-April 2024,” the ministry stated, noting that the officer did not disclose the incident until questioned on Wednesday.
MFA emphasized its expectation for all staff members to uphold the “highest standards of conduct” and to adhere to the laws of their host nations.
“Since the alleged offence on Feb 27, 2024, up to the present day, we have not received any information from the authorities in Tokyo. The ministry has reached out to the relevant authorities for information and will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident,” it added.
The diplomat under scrutiny is reportedly a 55-year-old “former” counsellor at the embassy, as per NHK. A counsellor holds a diplomatic rank for officers serving abroad, such as in an embassy.
According to Yomiuri Shimbun, on Feb 27, the individual clandestinely used his smartphone to film a first-year middle school student in the changing room of a public bath, where the boy was undressed.
Staff members at the public bath in Tokyo’s Minato Ward allegedly alerted the police, who upon arrival, inspected the diplomat’s phone and discovered “multiple naked photos of male customers”, as reported by Asahi Shimbun.
It was further stated that the diplomat declined to accompany the police to the station but admitted to having taken similar photos in other public baths.
Upon being requested to erase the photos from his phone, the diplomat purportedly “deleted them on the spot”, according to the Japanese news outlet.
He allegedly removed 700 photos from his phone, claiming to have taken them over the six months leading up to the incident.
