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Yamagata cops: NHK reporter raped woman in residence

Yasutaka Tsurumoto
NHK reporter Yasutaka Tsurumoto

YAMAGATA (TR) – Yamagata Prefectural Police have arrested a male reporter for public broadcaster NHK in the alleged rape of a woman in her residence in the Murayama locality last year, reports Nippon News Network (Feb. 6).

At around 5:00 a.m. on February 23, 2016, Yasutaka Tsurumoto, a 28-year-old reporter for an affiliate of NHK’s Yamagata Broadcasting Station in Sakata City, allegedly trespassed into the residence of the woman, aged in her 20s, and sexually assaulted her. The woman suffered injuries that required two weeks to heal.

Tsurumoto was not acquainted with the victim, who had gone to sleep at the time of the incident.

The suspect has been charged with rape resulting in injury. He denies the charges, saying he does not know anything about the incident.

“It is truly regrettable, and we apologize,” a representative of NHK is quoted. “After examining the facts [of the case], we will deal with the matter strictly.”