Four men have been arrested on suspicion of coercing a woman, then 19 years old, to perform in a pornographic video after enticing her with the prospect of a modeling assignment, police said Thursday.
The men, including Makoto Takagi, a 31-year-old company executive, are suspected of introducing the woman, who wanted to be a fashion model, to individuals producing a pornographic video in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, on around Feb. 29, 2016, according to the police.
One of the men first approached the woman in July 2015 at a modeling audition in Tokyo, saying he knew a good place to find work as a model, the police said.
The woman claims she was deceived.
The four men were arrested on Tuesday, according to the police.
Takagi has denied the allegations, saying he only offered advice on how to become a model, but the three other suspects have admitted wrongdoing, according to the police.
An increasing number of teenagers have been coerced into the pornography industry, and the government and police are trying harder to crack down on problematic scouts and agencies.
Last month, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department requested that the industry strictly observe the law and provide adequate information to women before they appear in such videos.