TOKYO (TR) – Prosecutors have announced the non-prosecution of a 21-year-old bar host over the alleged attempted extortion of a man he lured out through the prospect of sex, reports TBS News (Aug. 6).
Last September, bar host Shusei Ishii, an 18-year-old girl and one other person worked together to communicate with the victim, a company employee, via a deai-kei matchmaking site.
Under the guise that he would meet the girl, the male victim, was then lured out to a rented space in the Ueno area of Taito Ward. “She is over 18,” the victim was assured.
However, upon the victim’s arrival, one of the suspects said, “Since this is enjo kosai” — or compensated dating — “pay up 30,000 yen.”
When the victim refused to pay and indicated he would go to the police, the suspects sprayed him in the face with pepper spray.
On Tuesday, prosecutors announced that Ishii was not prosecuted on July 24. No reason for the non-prosecution. Whether the other two suspects are still in custody was not revealed.
Upon his arrest in July, Ishii admitted to the allegations. “I wanted money to play around,” the suspect was quoted by police.
At the time of the arrest, police were also reportedly investigating whether the three suspects were also behind another pepper spraying incident involving another male victim that took place in the same area that day.
