TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 27-year-old man claiming to be a photographer over the alleged sexual assault of a woman he lured to his home under the guise of a photo session, reports NHK (Feb. 10).
Last October, Masahiko Sugawara, who lives in Shinjuku Ward, allegedly took the female office worker, aged in her 20s, to his home and sexually assaulting her.
Upon his arrest, Sugawara denied the allegations. “I don’t know which woman this is. I thought there was consent,” he said.
Approximately one month prior to the incident, he approached the woman as she was walking in the Kabukicho red-light district of Shinjuku. After showing her some photos he had taken, he said, “I take street snapshots. I’ll take some promotional photos for you.”
They then exchanged contact information.
About one month later, when the woman asked him to take photos for work, he took her to his home, which he said was his studio. He is believed to have then taken her to a room with a bed, where the alleged sexual assault took place. The woman then reported the incident to police.
Tokyo police are investigating whether the incident is related to a similar inquiry made by a second woman.
