Details of the Indictment

According to legal filings, the incident occurred on the morning of January 25. Prosecutors allege that Harada instructed a teenage female patient, who was visiting for orthodontic care, to lie down on the dental unit. Reports indicate he placed a towel over the patient’s eyes, obstructing her vision. Authorities state this action was not medically necessary and was done for inappropriate purposes.

Harada reportedly provided misleading explanations to the victim to justify the conduct. Regarding the justification given for the actions, the indictment notes Harada stated, You need to move your tongue for treatment. He is accused of deceiving the victim into believing the acts were part of a medical procedure. Allegations include forcing the victim to perform inappropriate physical acts.

prosecutors assert that Harada used a mobile device to record the incident at the same date, time, and location. Knowing the victim was under the age of 18, he is charged with producing child pornography in addition to the assault charges. Data recovered from the device reportedly contains video evidence of the alleged acts.

Legal Context and Prosecution Structure

The case is being handled by the Shizuoka District Public Prosecutors Office. In Japan, the Public Prosecutors Office operates under the Ministry of Justice. The system consists of four tiers, including the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office, High Public Prosecutors Offices, District Public Prosecutors Offices, and Local Public Prosecutors Offices [1]. The District offices, such as the one in Shizuoka, handle prosecutions within their prefecture jurisdictions [3].

This marks the second indictment for Harada. Records indicate he has been arrested three times in total. He previously faced charges regarding indecent assault on a female patient in her 20s.

Background and Community Reaction

Local sources indicate Harada was born in Shizuoka City and attended a municipal elementary school. Academic records from his youth suggest he ranked among the top 10 students out of over 200 in his first year. He later attended a private all-boys high school before enrolling at the Niigata School of Life Dentistry, Nippon Dental University in Niigata Prefecture.

After gaining perform experience in the Kanto region and other areas, he established his practice at the current location in 2009. Following the news of the latest indictment, a former college junior of Harada spoke to the press regarding their past interactions.

My senior was a fourth-year student when I was a first-year student. He was a member of the judo club at Nippon Dental University Niigata Campus. There were only 10 members in all grades, so it was a small, homely atmosphere. He had a gentle personality and was really kind to his younger juniors.

— Former College Junior

The former classmate noted that Harada was regarded as an exemplary student during his university years. Some close juniors referred to him as Haranii, a nickname derived from his surname meaning older brother.

60 points is the passing score for dental school tests, but Hara always got close to 70 to 80 points.He must have been in the top 20 of the 100 students in his class, and he is an excellent person who graduated straight without repeating a grade or becoming a ronin.

— Former College Junior

The interviewee further described Harada’s behavior in social settings, stating he never became violent due to alcohol and would care for juniors during difficult times. The former classmate added, The younger girl I was dating at the time similarly told me that she was a really nice person who taught me practical lessons, and I’ve never heard any bad rumors about her.

FAQ: Understanding the Case