這起震驚全日本的案件發生在岡山縣里庄町，主角是一名現年51歲的青年旅館老闆。根據日本媒體報導，這名男子長期經營一家外表樸素、價格親民的旅館，專門接待女性背包客與觀光旅客。表面上他是一位熱情親切的旅館經營者，實際上卻暗中策劃一系列惡行——對多名女性房客下藥並性侵，長期以來逍遙法外。

事件的起因可以追溯到數年前。多名女性房客在入住該旅館後，曾出現昏睡、頭暈、記憶模糊等症狀，醒來後發現衣物凌亂，但因證據不足或羞於報警，案件一度未能曝光。直到一名外國女性旅客在2023年底報案，警方根據她提供的線索，查獲了大量關鍵證據，包括監視錄影、被害者服用的飲品殘留物，以及嫌犯電腦中保存的不雅影片。

警方調查發現，嫌犯至少在三年間利用相同手法作案。他會在晚間以「旅館提供飲品」或「地方名產品嚐」為名，向房客提供摻有鎮靜劑或麻醉藥的飲料。待受害者失去意識後，他便趁機進行性侵或猥褻行為，甚至拍攝影片留作紀錄。被害者來自日本各地，還包括數名外國女性，年齡多介於20至30歲之間。

岡山地方法院在審理時指出，嫌犯的行為極為惡劣，侵犯被害人身體自主權與人格尊嚴，且持續犯案、毫無悔意。法官強調，他利用旅館經營者的身份與地點優勢，針對旅客實施下藥與性暴力，屬於極具計劃性與持續性的重罪。

最終，法院判處這名男子26年有期徒刑，並沒收其非法拍攝的影像資料。這項重判也引發日本社會對「旅宿安全」的廣泛討論。許多網友指出，女性單獨旅行時，選擇小型民宿或青年旅館應更加謹慎；同時也呼籲政府加強旅宿監管與警方跨縣市資料共享，防止類似事件再度發生。

岡山警方表示，這起案件揭露了旅遊業中潛藏的安全死角，也提醒社會大眾，任何形式的性暴力都不容忽視。多位受害者在判決後透過律師發表聲明，表示雖然傷痛難以抹去，但看到司法正義得以伸張，終於能稍感安慰。

This shocking case in Japan took place in the small town of Satoshō, Okayama Prefecture. A 51-year-old youth hostel owner was sentenced to 26 years in prison by the Okayama District Court for drugging, sexually assaulting, and molesting 10 female guests who stayed at his lodging facility.

According to Japanese media reports, the man ran a modest and affordable hostel that mainly catered to female backpackers and solo travelers. Outwardly, he appeared to be a friendly and helpful innkeeper, but behind this façade, he was secretly committing a series of heinous crimes—drugging his female guests and sexually assaulting them while they were unconscious.

The crimes are believed to have occurred over several years. Multiple women had reported feeling dizzy, groggy, or losing memory after drinking beverages offered by the owner. When they woke up, they noticed their clothes were in disarray, but due to lack of evidence or fear of public exposure, most did not file police reports. It wasn’t until a foreign female traveler reported the incident at the end of 2023 that the truth began to surface. Police investigations uncovered key evidence, including security footage, drug-laced drink containers, and explicit videos stored on the suspect’s computer.

The investigation revealed that over a period of at least three years, the suspect had repeatedly used the same method. He would offer his guests drinks under the pretense of “complimentary refreshments” or “local specialties,” which contained tranquilizers or anesthetics. Once the victims lost consciousness, he would proceed to molest or assault them, often filming the acts. The victims came from across Japan and included several foreign women, mostly in their 20s and 30s.

During the trial, the Okayama District Court described the crimes as “systematic, premeditated, and extremely malicious.” The judge stated that the defendant had abused his position as a hostel owner to exploit the vulnerability of travelers, showing no remorse throughout the proceedings.

The court ultimately sentenced him to 26 years in prison and ordered the confiscation of all illicitly recorded material. The ruling sparked widespread public debate in Japan about traveler safety and accommodation oversight. Many online commenters urged women traveling alone to be cautious when choosing small inns or guesthouses, while others called for the government to strengthen hotel inspection systems and improve police data sharing to prevent similar incidents.

Okayama police later emphasized that this case exposed serious safety gaps in the tourism and lodging industry. Several victims released a joint statement through their lawyer after the verdict, expressing that while the trauma would not easily fade, they finally felt a measure of relief knowing that justice had been served.