SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police have arrested a 49-year-old man who is suspected of seriously injuring a woman during a sexual assault earlier this year, reports the Saitama Shimbun (June 16).
At around 9:10 p.m. on May 27, Dai Fukushima, a temporary employee, allegedly thrust a knife in front of the woman, aged in her 20s, inside his vehicle parked a coin-operated parking lot in Sayama City.
The suspect is then alleged to have sexually assaulted the woman while choking her.
The woman, who fell unconscious during the attack, suffered whiplash and an injured chest. The injuries required four weeks to heal, the Sayama Police Station said.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of coerced intercourse and attempted murder on Monday, Fukushima admitted to thrusting the knife at the woman. But he told police, “I did not intend to kill.”
According to police, the woman, who lives in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, met the man, a resident of Hachioji City, Tokyo, on a social-networking service.
About two hours after the incident, a male acquaintance of the woman alerted police. Officers later located Fukushima inside his vehicle.
During voluntary questioning, the suspect was in possession of a knife with 17-centimeter-long blade. Police then arrested him on suspicion of violating the Swords and Firearms Control Law.
