TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a former national rowing champion for sexually assaulting a woman in her apartment in Kita Ward, reports Sports Hochi (Sep. 7).
In July, Hikaru Endo, 26, is alleged to have intruded into the apartment of the woman, a company employee in her 20s, and used adhesive tape to wrap her head and bind her arms. After she showed signs of resisting, the suspect fled the scene.
Endo, who has been charged with attempted rape, admits to the allegations.
Endo, an employee of telecommunications company NTT East, emerged as a suspect after a letter was left in the victim’s mailbox stating “send a mail if you don’t want this incident exposed.” The message included the suspect’s email address.
An representative of NTT East said that the incident is regrettable. “We would like to extend an apology from the bottom of our heart,” the representative is quoted by TBS News (Sep. 7).
In 2012, Endo won the top prize in the Japan national rowing championships. The following year, he finished seventh in the world championships as a representative of Japan.
