Former Singapore diplomat fined 300,000 yen for voyeurism in Japan

TOKYO, JAPAN — A former Singapore diplomat has been fined 300,000 yen (USS$1,909) for secretly filming a boy at a public bath in Tokyo, among other acts of voyeurism, Japanese media reported.

Sim Siong Chye, 55, a former counsellor at the Singapore Embassy in Japan, committed the offences while holding a diplomatic position.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department made a request in May through Japan’s Foreign Ministry for Sim to return to Japan for questioning.

According to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, Sim returned voluntarily on 9 June out of remorse and his own will.

Sim was then referred to the prosecutors on Thursday for allegedly violating laws related to taking sexual images and the production of child pornography.

Prosecutors filed a summary indictment against Sim for violating public nuisance laws at a public bath in Tokyo. In response, the Tokyo Summary Court issued a summary order, fining him 300,000 yen.

Sim, a career diplomat who joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in 1993, was initially caught on 27 February using a smartphone to film a 13-year-old male student who was naked in the men’s changing room of a public bath in Tokyo’s Minato ward, where the Singapore embassy is located.

Security footage from the venue captured the former diplomat pointing his phone at other patrons, leading to his identification by an employee.

Reportedly, the police officer requested the diplomat come to the station voluntarily, but while the diplomat said, “I will answer questions here,” he refused to go.

The police discovered over 700 images on the diplomat’s phone, which he admitted to deleting on the night of the incident and that he had taken such photos in other public baths. He reportedly told officers that he regretted his actions and could not explain why he committed them.

At the time, Japanese police were unable to detain him due to his diplomatic immunity.

After completing his tour of duty, Sim returned to Singapore in mid-April.

MFA stated that it was made aware of the allegations on 1 May after being contacted by Japanese media outlets, as Sim did not inform the ministry of the incident until he was asked about it. The former diplomat was subsequently suspended from duty to assist in the investigations.

In response to queries by Singapore media, MFA confirmed that Sim no longer had diplomatic immunity as his posting had ended.

The ministry added that Sim chose to return to Japan to cooperate with the investigations as requested by Japanese authorities..

“The Singapore Embassy in Tokyo has engaged with the Japanese authorities to facilitate the ongoing investigations. We should wait for the outcome of these investigations,” the MFA said.