> 3 men held for accommodating two 13-year-old runaway girls in return for sex

NAGOYA — Aichi prefectural police said Tuesday, 23 June 2009, they have arrested three men under the Child Welfare Law and sent their case to prosecutors, with each of them accused of engaging in indecent behavior with a minor.

Police allege that Takahiro Sumi, 34, became acquainted with two junior high school girls via an online bulletin board for runaway children. The girls, both 13 at the time, had written comments on the board since November last year asking if anyone could provide them with accommodation. Sumi made an offer to the girls to stay at his apartment in Nagoya City, and the girls met him on March 23. They stayed at his apartment until March 30, during which time he is accused of having sex with both of them.

Police said Sumi wrote a message on another bulletin board toward the end of that week, saying that he could no longer afford to accommodate the girls and asked if anyone could provide accommodation for them.

Shuji Okuno, 30, replied to the message and met the girls at Nagoya station on March 30. They both stayed at his place, also in Nagoya City, until April 21 when one of the girls left. This was after Okuno had posted a message online asking if someone could take one of the girls. Yuzo Fujieda, 29, is believed to have met the girl in Nagoya City on April 21 and is accused of engaging in indecent behavior with her the next day.

Both Sumi and Okuno have admitted to engaging in indecent behavior with a minor, and told police that they expected sex in return for providing free accommodation. Fujieda has denied the allegation and told police that he never met the girl.

The three men never met each other, police said.