TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested the head of a school that teaches the art of picking up women over an alleged rape at a hotel in Shinjuku Ward last year, reports Jiji Press (Sept. 11).
At around 3:00 a.m. on November 13, Taisuke Watanabe, the 42-year-old head of Real Nampa Academy, and Masaki Otaki, 29, are alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman, aged in her 20s, after forcing her to consume large quantities of alcohol at Hotel BaliAn Resort Shinjuku Island, located in the Kabukicho red-light district.
Because the woman was rendered helpless by the alcohol, police accused the suspects of quasi-coerced intercourse. Watanabe, who is also the president of an IT-related company, denies the allegations, according to police.
Prior to the incident, the suspects called out to the woman on a road and escorted her to a bar to play darts. At the bar, she was forced to consume tequila. After moving to the hotel, the suspects forced her to drink four or five cocktails as they played a drinking game, police said.
Otaki was a student at the academy. Police first arrested him in the alleged rape of a woman in April of last year. Two other former students were arrested in the case in April and another in July.
In an interview conducted with Watanabe prior to his arrest, TV Asahi quoted him as saying: “Alcohol is a helpful tool.” However, he denied making such a statement during the investigation by police.
In footage taken on Monday, Watanabe is shown raising the middle finger of his right hand toward a camera for TV Asahi as he attempts to cover his face with a bag.
During a search of the school, police found video footage showing dozens of women. Police are continuing the investigation.
