English teacher in Japan arrested over alleged filming in girls’ bathroom at middle school
TAKAMATSU — An Australian assistant language teacher (ALT) was arrested in west Japan on July 9 for allegedly secretly filming a female student in a bathroom at the junior high school where he works.
Mick Derevnin, 31, a part-time teacher residing in the Kagawa Prefecture city of Kanonji, was arrested by Kagawa Prefectural Police’s community living section and Kanonji Police Station on suspicion of violating the Act on Punishment of Activities Relating to Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, as well as a prefectural nuisance prevention ordinance.
Derevnin is accused of entering the girls’ bathroom at the junior high school where he is employed on around July 6 and using what appears to be a small camera to secretly film a 12-year-old first-year student.
The prefectural police’s community living section said a school affiliate filed a report with Kanonji Police Station on July 6 that claimed “a male employee entered the girls’ bathroom.” The suspect has admitted to the allegations, and police will investigate further whether he was involved in other secret filming.
According to the Kanonji Municipal Board of Education, Derevnin has worked as a part-time local public employee in the city since the 2013 academic year, and taught English as an ALT at multiple municipal junior high schools.
A municipal education board representative said, “He was passionate about teaching and extremely talented.”
