The Kyoto Prefectural Police are taking action against at least seven men who allegedly photographed up the skirts of children, teenagers and women visiting Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto this fall.
The police said they arrested three of the men, filed criminal papers with prosecutors against another three and plan to do the same for the remaining man. The men, aged between 31 and 52, are from Hyogo, Wakayama and other prefectures, the police said.
The men ostensibly were at the famous tourist spot to take landscape photos but were instead taking "up-skirt" shots, including of an elementary school student and a 17-year-old high school student from Yamagata Prefecture, of people visiting on school trips.
The seven reportedly owned up to the charges, saying they came to the temple because there are many female tourists and stairways for up-skirt opportunities.
The police have been cracking down on the invasive acts since September, after discovering several up-skirt shots taken at the temple had been posted on the Internet and online messages saying the temple is a popular spot for such surreptitious photography.
They also found witness reports that said some men were seen with a zoom camera during the popular autumn tourist season taking pictures from the bottom of the temple's stairs looking up.
