KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a popular male Keio University student over the alleged rape of an intoxicated woman in Yokohama last month, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Oct. 16).
Over an approximately 20-minute period beginning at 4:05 a.m. on September 29, Yota Watanabe, 22, a second-year student living Tokyo’s Minato Ward, is alleged to have sexually assaulted the woman, a first-year student at another university, in a stairwell of a multi-tenant building in Nishi Ward.
Watanabe, who has been accused of quasi-coerced intercourse, denies the allegations. “Since I was drunk, I do not remember,” the suspect was quoted by the Kanagawa Police Station.
According to police, Watanabe was not acquainted with the woman. The incident took place after the suspect spotted her walking alone after she had been out drinking. He then took her to the building to commit the alleged crime.
The arrest of Watanabe is his second in connection with the woman. After committing the alleged sexual assault, the suspect allegedly kicked her in the abdomen on a road about 150 meters from the building. An officer arrested him at the scene on suspicion of assault.
Following that initial arrest, Watanabe admitted to the allegations. However, the charges have been put on hold.
In 2016, Watanabe appeared in the “Mr. Keio SFC Contest,” an event whose winners are determined via online voting over a three-month period.
