Police in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, have arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of groping a female junior high school student on an escalator at JR Nishi-Funabashi Station.

The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. on Friday, TV Asahi reported. Police said Shinya Ito, a staff member at a child consultation center in Ichikawa City, allegedly groped the buttocks of the girl in front of him on the escalator.

The girl grabbed Ito's hand and told her mother, who was in front of her. The girl’s mother reported the incident to a nearby security guard who called police. 

Police said Ito has admitted to the allegation and quoted him as saying, "I couldn't control my sexual desire."