A senior official from the Japan Football Association (JFA) has received an 18-month suspended jail sentence in France after being caught viewing child sexual abuse images on a plane. The incident, which took place during a flight stopover at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, involved JFA technical director Masanaga Kageyama, who later admitted to viewing the material on his laptop.
Kageyama, aged 58, was reportedly en route to Chile for the upcoming Under-20 World Cup when flight attendants noticed his actions in the business class cabin. They promptly alerted authorities, leading to his detention upon landing. According to reports, when confronted, Kageyama claimed that the images he was viewing were “art” and generated by artificial intelligence. However, French investigators confirmed that the images depicted explicit material involving minors.
Following his court appearance, Kageyama was handed a suspended prison sentence of 18 months and fined 5,000 euros. The ruling also imposed a 10-year ban prohibiting him from working with minors or entering France again. This judgment reflects France’s strict laws against possessing or viewing any form of child sexual exploitation material, whether real or simulated.
The Japan Football Association responded swiftly to the incident, announcing the immediate termination of Kageyama’s contract. In an official statement, JFA president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto condemned the act, describing it as “unacceptable to the football world.” He added that the organization would use this event as an opportunity to review and strengthen its governance and compliance systems to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Kageyama’s arrest has shocked the Japanese sporting community, given his long-standing involvement in football development. Before assuming his role as JFA technical director, he had a career as a professional footballer, retiring in 1996. He later transitioned into coaching and management, serving in various capacities for Japanese teams and also managing clubs in Macau and Singapore.
The scandal has raised serious questions about accountability and ethics within football administration. Many observers believe it underscores the need for sports organizations to implement rigorous background checks, mental health assessments, and digital conduct guidelines for their officials. While Kageyama’s sentence was suspended, the repercussions for his career and reputation are severe, and the JFA continues to face scrutiny over its internal oversight mechanisms.
