TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a former professional gamer over the alleged rape of a middle school girl earlier this year, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (Oct. 7).
On around August 15, Kai Asano, 20, is alleged to have sexually assaulted the girl at his residence in the Nakakasai area of Edogawa Ward after inviting her over to watch an event for the popular video game Splatoon.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of coerced intercourse and abduction for the purpose of obscene acts on Wednesday, Asano denied the allegations.
“I didn’t force her [to come to my residence] or [sexually] assault her. There was no coercion,” the suspect quoted by the Kasai Police Station.
Got to know the victim via Twitter
According to police, the suspect got to know the girl via Twitter. They then exchanged messages about Splatoon.
In bringing the girl to his residence, he reportedly wrote, “Let’s watch the match together. [Other] girls will be there.”
However, there were no other girls present at the time of the incident, police said.
Starting last November, Asano was represented by a take agency as a professional Splatoon gamer, appearing under the name Igu.
However, the agency terminated his contract after the emergence of the
sexual assault allegations.