TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 22-year-old man over the alleged rape of an intoxicated woman inside his vehicle in Shinjuku Ward two years ago, reports TBS News (Mar. 18).
Early on November 11, 2018, Ippei Kuribayashi, of no known occupation, brought the woman, aged in her 20s, to his vehicle after encountering her on a footpath in the ward.
The suspect is then alleged to have confined her inside for up to 3 hours while he sexually assaulted her.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of coerced intercourse and abduction, Kuribayashi partially denied the allegations, police said without elaboration.
According to police, Kuriyabashi is a resident of Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture. When he encountered the woman, she was sitting on the footpath after she went out drinking.
“It’s dangerous [for you to stay here],” he said. “You can sleep inside my car.” He then brought to the vehicle, where another man was. The sexual assault took place after the car was driven to another location, police said.
After the woman was released, she contacted an acquaintance who alerted police.
A DNA analysis of evidence left at the scene of the crime proved to be a match for Kuriyabashi, police said, according to NHK (Mar. 18). Police are now utilizing security camera footage to locate the second man.
