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Nampa school manager, former student accused in 5th rape case

TOKYO (TR) – The head of a school that teaches the art of picking up women and a former student have been arrested on suspicion of rape, the fifth such case to emerge since an investigation began earlier this year, reports Nikkan Sports (Dec. 7).

In the early morning hours of March 10, Taisuke Watanabe, the 42-year-old head of Real Nampa Academy, and Ryo Nezuten, a 24-year-old staff member at the Setagaya Ward office, are alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman, aged in her 20s, after forcing her to consume large quantities of alcohol at a residence in Shinjuku Ward.

Because the woman was rendered helpless by the alcohol, police accused the suspects of quasi-coerced intercourse. Another man was arrested in the case. All three suspects deny the charges, police said.

Prior to carrying out the crime, the suspects played darts with the victim. While playing, she was forced to consume 15 shots of tequila, police said.

Taisuke Watamabe
Taisuke Watamabe (Twitter)

The arrest of Watanabe is his third. Police had previously accused him and another former student of the academy over the alleged rape of another woman at a hotel in the Kabukicho red-light district of Tokyo in November of last year. The other case took place in Osaka in June.

In footage taken around the time of his arrest in September, 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.

Police have also arrested other former students at the academy in the sexual assault of two women in separate incidents that took place in the capital in April and July of last year.

During a search of the school, police found video footage showing dozens of women being sexually assaulted. Through this footage, police identified the victim in the latest case.