J-pop star Kenshin Kamimura pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent assault before a Hong Kong court on Tuesday, after he was accused of assaulting a woman at a Hong Kong restaurant in March.
Kamimura, 25, is a former member of the six-member boy group ONE N’ ONLY but was fired by his management agency, Stardust Promotion in March over "the discovery of a serious compliance violation", according to the company statement.
Kamimura's hands were shaking before the hearing began, and he broke out in tears after loudly pleading "not guilty" at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Court.
When Magistrate Li Chi-ho asked if he needed a break, he said he could continue, adding "no problem" in Cantonese.
Under Hong Kong law, indecent assault carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment. Reuters was unable to reach Kamimura's lawyers for comment.
Dozens of his fans started queuing up outside the court early in the morning to get passes to enter the courtroom.
Some said they had flown in from Japan and China to see the star, known for his role in the Japanese drama "Our Youth".
A judiciary clerk said they have given away over 170 passes.
Kamimura was granted bail, with the next hearing scheduled for July 30 and expected to last 3 days.
According to the charge sheet seen by Reuters, he was charged with indecently assaulting a woman in a restaurant in the city's busy Mong Kok district on March 2 this year. The charge sheet did not provide further details.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
8 Comments
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Meiyouwenti
“he said he could continue, adding "no problem" in Cantonese.”
“No problem” in Cantonese would be “Mo man tai, 無問題. That’s “Mei wen ti” 没問題 in Mandarin.
OssanAmerica
The "indecent" part under Hong Kong law indicates that there was likely some physical contact with the victim (which does not have to involve nudity or rape) prior to or in addition to the act of assault. The "indecency" is established by society's norms. If guilty, a pretty dumb thing to do especially in another country with their own laws.
grc
Don’t ha just hate foreign visitors not respecting their host country’s rules?
CaptDingleheimer
What's up with famous dudes who could bring a girl home willingly every night just by going into a bar and announcing his presence, who do this stuff?
Rivera
Let him rot in jail
Geoff Gillespie
@ Rivera
Shouldn't we let them establish his guilt first? That's the way these things are normally done, isn't it...?
girl_in_tokyo
What possess women to queue up to meet someone who sexually abuses women?
Yrral
Ossan,like this not normal in Japan