Hot for teacher: Details emerge about Tokyo music instructor’s porn performances

On November 30, officers from the Shizuoka Prefectural Police arrested Hitomi Sugawara, a part-time music teacher at elementary schools in Tokyo, for appearing in an adult video (AV) uploaded to an overseas Internet site.

The 27-year-old was charged with assisting in the creation of obscene electromagnetic media for the purpose distribution.

According to the Sankei Shimbun (Dec. 8), the arrest is a reflection of the challenges educators face in making a living in the field.

Sugawara, a resident of Yokohama, performed under the name “Shizuru Junno” for conventional AV films, while “Reiko Maki” was used for uncensored productions available for download. (Japanese law dictates that genitalia must be properly censored in all films.)

The arrest stemmed from an appearance in “Married Killer,” a series that includes more than 800 films. “Meet Reiko Maki, a sexy, full-bodied wife with beautiful white skin,” announces the film’s promotional copy.

The Sankei says that Sugawara’s background is not that of a typical AV actress. According to the Cuore Music site, Sugawara — whose entry has since been removed — graduated from the music department of the Tokyo University of the Arts.

While in elementary and high school, she appeared in a number of television and radio programs for public broadcaster NHK as a part of its chorus group for children. In 2003, she was awarded top prize at a soloist contest for high school students in Kanagawa Prefecture.

According to the Sankei, the matter came to light following a complaint filed in January with Shizuoka Prefectural Police by a woman in her 20s who appeared in an uncensored production without her consent. An investigation was initiated, and the cyber patrol division later discovered the material featuring Sugawara on the Internet.

Officers were subsequently led to Koichi Kamidaki, a 45-year-old resident of Chiba Prefecture who works in the film production industry. He had hired Sugawara for the shooting of the video in question on April 13, 2011.

At a meeting inside a coffee shop in Tokyo, Sugwara admitted to having agreed to appear in the uncensored film. Officers arrested Kamidaki in October.

An AV industry insider indicates that a popular actress will earn between one and two million yen per production. Amateurs, like Sugawara, receive much less, possibly up to only 50,000 yen.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education said that Sugawara is an elite teacher at a number of elementary schools in Setagaya Ward. “She teaches students on a one-on-one basis with real enthusiasm,” said a representative of the board. “As well, her ability to communicate with other staff members is very high.”

The representative added that the board was stunned after learning of Sugawara’s other means of earning income.

As to a motive, the police are inconclusive. “It could have been due to money,” a representative of the police is quoted. “Human desire is infinite. She may have started in the industry out of curiosity.”

A teacher, also employed in Tokyo, tells the Sankei that earning a living in education is difficult. “The monthly wage for a part-time teacher might be just two million yen a year,” says the teacher. “So it could have simply been the result of life’s struggles. Or there may have been accumulated stress regarding the instability of the educational field.”

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education intends to deal with the matter in due course.

“Upon hearing the facts from the person in question (Sugawara), we will deal with the matter very strictly,” said the board representative. (A.T.)

Source: “Tokyoi mo gyoten, AV joyu datta eriito sensei,” Sankei Shimbun (Dec. 8)