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Police in Tokyo said Thursday that a 34-year-old man has been arrested for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman as she was returning to her home in Tama City in August last year.
According to police, the suspect, Hiro Ishigaki, who is unemployed, was charged with attempted rape and illegal confinement. TV Asahi quoted police as saying that on Aug 18, Ishigaki threatened to strangle the woman, and forced her to follow him to a secluded location in a park two kilometers away, where he sexually assaulted her.
Police said Ishigaki is suspected of being responsible for a series of 40 other similar cases in the area since 2010. He was identified through surveillance camera footage earlier this month.
© Japan Today
16 Comments
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Abhorsenaube
Hang on, this happened in August and they just now identified him in camera footage? WHY did it take 10 MONTHS! to review the camera footage? how man other women did he do this to since August? It sounds like incredibly lazy police work.
Spanki
For a country with such an 'officially' low unemployment rate, the jobless sure do get in the news often for all the wrong reasons.
Amidalism
Suspected in 40 other cases in the area since 2010? What exactly are the police in the area doing? Sure doesn't sound like they are doing their jobs!
rickyvee
most security footage is very grainy, and since this happened at night, it would be almost impossible to get a clear look at the suspects face. so then you're left with just a general description of the suspect. it would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. glad they caught the pervert!
DudeDeuce
Sex-related crimes don't get penalized so severely here. He needs to spend at least his 30s and 40s behind bars.
CrazyJoe
He deserves the maximum punishment under the law. The effects of sexual assault are so traumatic that the pain can linger for a lifetime.
Mocheake
Forty similar cases? In safety Japan?! I don't believe it.
Juan Rodriguez
I wonder if he had used a mask most of the time and this was one of the few where he made a mistake
Wakarimasen
Abhorsenaube
At least it hasn't taken over 40 years like some of the cases currently being tried in the UK......
Jeff Ogrisseg
It takes 20-25 minutes to walk the 2 kilometers the rapist "forced her to follow him." Which part of Tama was this? Because the satellite photos show an awful lot of homes there. And if these assaults have been going on since 2010, what have the cops been doing about it?
Sensato
That is, 40 other similar cases that were reported. Tip of the iceberg. The actual number is undoubtedly much higher given the overwhelming propensity of victims in this country to avoid seeking help from the police at all costs.
Seiko Meise
What i dont understand is. Why is it legal in Japan to let these crazy ppl hang around everywhere. This kind of ppl supposed to be staying in JAIL or Mental Hospital..
Cortes Elijah
40 freaking cases? That is like a world record! Death to this sick human.
Fadamor
Sadly, being "suspected" of 40 other cases simply means there were 40 other unsolved cases in the area and the police are looking to pin them all on this guy for convenience. Typical for any police department, not just J-Cops. Take everything remotely similar and accuse the suspect of them in the hopes that some of it sticks.
CrisGerSan
Let's be glad they caught one..and pray for the lady's recovery and happy life.