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Drunk broadcast employee nabbed for assault of taxi driver

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested an employee of Okinawa Prefecture-based Ryukyu Asahi Broadcasting Co. over the alleged assault of a taxi driver in Chuo Ward over the weekend, reports TV Asahi (Sept. 1).

At around 6:00 a.m. on September 1, Kento Shima, a 29-year-old employee in the Tokyo bureau, declined to pay the fare of 7,290 yen to the driver, 88, upon arrival at his destination in the capital.

According to the Tsukishima Police Station, the suspect, who was intoxicated at the time, then exited the vehicle. When confronted by the driver, he spit water from a bottle at him and beat him in the face, causing bone fractures.

The driver suffered serious injuries that will require one month to heal, police said.

Shima, who has been accused of robbery resulting in injury, denies the allegations.

“We would like to apologize to the victim,” the company said in a statement. “We will deal with the matter strictly after confirming the facts.”