SAITAMA (TR) – A Saitama prefectural assemblyman has been accused of stalking his former girlfriend online earlier this year, investigative sources have revealed, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 23).
In May, Masatoshi Ito, a 36-year-old member of the Liberal Democratic Party, allegedly visited the residence of the woman, 40, and harassed her by sending dozens of messages via telephone and the smartphone app Line.
“I want to meet,” some of the messages read, according to the sources.
On Wednesday, Ito was sent to prosecutors at the Saitama District Public Prosecutor’s Office on suspicion of violating the Stalker Control Law.
During questioning, Ito admitted to sending the messages, the sources said.
Now serving his second term, Ito was first elected to the assembly in 2011. He is a member of the prefecture’s crisis and disaster management committee.
“I have not heard from the person himself yet. Therefore, I cannot comment because I do not know the content of the case,” said Nobuaki Kojima, the assembly chief. “I will consider as response in the future as soon as the content [of the case] is known.”
