Kenshin Kamimura Convicted in Hong Kong Court: Idol Fined After Indecent Assault Ruling
Kai Montgomery here, and yes, I grumpily admit I’m reporting this because someone has to call out bad behavior instead of sighing into my tea. Look, pop idols fall from grace all the time, but when the court says the conduct was “obviously disrespectful toward women,” you stop making excuses and start taking notes.
Former ONE N’ ONLY member Kenshin Kamimura was found guilty of indecent assault by a Hong Kong court on Wednesday after a judge ruled the singer touched a female interpreter in a sexualized way during a celebratory dinner. The conviction followed testimony in which the interpreter said Kamimura repeatedly touched her thigh and invited her to a bathroom elsewhere during the outing. Kamimura denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty in April, but Judge Peter Yu concluded the contact had an implicit sexual undertone and indecent intent, calling the acts condemnable.
The incident, which resulted in Kamimura’s arrest in March in the southern Chinese city and a subsequent termination of his management contract for a serious compliance violation, unfolded in court last month with emotional scenes from both the accuser and the accused’s fans. The interpreter gave key testimony via live video link, recounting that she rebuffed his invitation and told him she had a boyfriend, but that he continued to touch her thigh. The defense countered that the interpreter may have exaggerated and argued that any invitation to a bathroom might not have been sexually motivated.
Judge Yu didn’t buy the defense’s framing. In handing down the verdict, he described the touch as “caressing” and implicitly sexual, concluding that it carried indecent intent. He fined Kamimura HK$15,000—about US$1,900—and did not impose a prison sentence. That penalty sits far below the maximum legal exposure for the charge, which can carry up to 10 years behind bars. After the ruling, Kamimura embraced his courtroom translator and appeared relieved, while several of his supporters wept in the gallery.
The courtroom drew a cross-border crowd. Fans from Japan and mainland China queued early to secure seats, and many waited outside the courthouse to glimpse Kamimura as he left by car, declining to speak. Not everyone present was a devotee; some attendees from mainland China said they were there to follow the proceedings closely after seeing online debates and criticism of the interpreter’s claims. A Shenzhen university student, Betty Zhong, told observers she wanted a fuller picture than what headlines provided and valued hearing both sides in person.
Kamimura, who has acted in TV dramas including the boys’ love series “Our Youth” and the popular program “Ossan’s Love Returns,” now faces reputational damage that could blunt or end his entertainment career. His management cut ties after his arrest, citing a serious compliance breach. The conviction will likely complicate any comeback attempts, especially in markets sensitive to sexual misconduct allegations.
This case spotlights tensions between celebrity fandom and accountability. Supporters sobbed at the verdict while others insisted on scrutinizing the accuser, a familiar and uncomfortable dynamic in high-profile misconduct cases. The court record and Judge Yu’s remarks make clear which side the law favored this time: he condemned the defendant’s actions as disrespectful toward women and fined him accordingly.
So, what now? Kamimura avoided jail but not judgment, legal and social. Appeals might be filed, and public opinion will keep gnawing at whatever remains of his image. Meanwhile, industry partners who severed ties will weigh whether a paid fine and no prison time suffice for rehabilitation or if the star’s brand is irreparably tarnished.
Stay tuned: if there’s an appeal or new revelations, you’ll hear about it—reluctantly, but you’ll hear about it.
And that, dear reader, is why we can’t have nice things.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post
Hong Kong Court Records (reported)
Statements from Judge Peter Yu (court reporting)
Eyewitness and attendee comments reported in coverage
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
