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Ibaraki cops: Mayor molested women at onsen events

Mamoru Okubo
Mamoru Okubo

IBARAKI (TR) – Charges have been filed at the Mito District Court against the mayor of town in Ibaraki Prefecture for molesting two women in separate incidents, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Nov. 1).

In February, police first accused Mamoru Okubo, the 78-year-old mayor of Yachiyo, of fondling the breasts of a woman from Chiba Prefecture, aged in her 50s, who was seated near him at an enka performance at an onsen hot springs resort on August 24 of last year. He

“(The charges) are completely groundless,” Okubo said at a press conference on June 9, in referring to the first case in which he has been charged with indecent assault.

The second case emerged after his public denial. On April 5 of this year, Okubo is alleged to have touched the upper body of singer Yuriko Sanjo during a similar event attended by approximately 200 people that was broadcast on a television program.

According to witnesses, Okubo was called to the stage after Sanjo’s performance ended. He subsequently spread apart the her kimono gown and inserted a 10,000-yen note between her breasts.