crime

Prosecutors drop rape case against 6 Keio University students

54 Comments

Prosecutors in Yokohama have decided not to prosecute six male students of Tokyo’s Keio University, who were accused of sexual assault after coercing a female student to consume alcohol last year.

Although the prosecutors office gave no reason for their decision, Japanese media reported Wednesday that an out-of-court settlement had been reached between the victim and the defendants.

The six students — aged 18-21 — are former members of Keio University’s Advertisement Society, a group that organizes the annual Miss Keio University beauty contest each November. On Sept 2, 2016, the suspects allegedly coerced their then 18-year-old victim to become intoxicated before gang-raping her at a beach house located in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The girl filed a criminal complaint, saying she was forced to drink large amounts of alcohol, including tequila, by the group, and then sexually assaulted. Prosecutors said the group gave alcohol to other girls as well on the same night at the Hayama facility.

In October 2016, after the victim filed the criminal complaint, the university cancelled the Miss Keio beauty contest, and the Keio Advertisement Society, which had a 90-year history, was disbanded. Three of the students were suspended.

The case came to light after weekly magazines Shukan Shincho and Shukan Bunshun reported the incident, including an allegation that the suspects filmed the assault on their smartphones.

Papers on the six suspects were sent to the Yokohama District Prosecutor’s Office in August, but the case was dropped on Tuesday.

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54 Comments
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Daddy's money paid them off :(

16 ( +19 / -3 )

What did he punch you for? Hope you gave as well as you got!

He was drunk and being rude to people so I gave him an earful. Then he punched me.

I didn’t punch back. I’m a pacifist, but ignoring that, He was probably 20 years older than me, and with a lifetime of weight training, I probably weighed double what he did. I honestly might have killed him had I hit back.

And I also knew that if I hit him back, I’d be closing myself off to any payment, whereas restraining myself put 300,000 yen in my pocket and paid a good bit of a family trip to Hawaii!

16 ( +16 / -0 )

@Educator60

an out-of-court settlement had been reached

Means they paid the victim...

15 ( +17 / -2 )

So you are saying the father/s paid money to the prosecutors to drop the case. That’s a very serious allegation. Do you have some proof?

Or, he was simply referring to what was written in the article above:

"Japanese media reported Wednesday that an out-of-court settlement had been reached between the victim and the defendants."

15 ( +16 / -1 )

Japanese media reported Wednesday that an out-of-court settlement had been reached between the victim and the defendants.

So, these rapists avoided jail coz mummy and daddy could pay off the girl they raped? What a ridiculous outcome! They should have been made to pay her off and given jail time as well. What kind of message does this send to potential rapists in Japan? If you have money, you'll get off! Absolutely disgraceful!

14 ( +16 / -2 )

In Japan, for some crimes, if the accuser and the suspect come to an agreement, the proscutors will drop the charges. This happened wirh me when I got punched on the train. I came to an agreement with the guy who punched me, he paid me, and I told the prosecutors they could drop it.

If an out of court settlement was reached, as indicated in the article, then this is what I would suspect happened. That said maybe the prosecutors just decided they didn’t have enough to prosecute

12 ( +12 / -0 )

At least I hope the girl received a big fat cheque...

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Money talks rapist walks welcome to the Japanese version of justice\equality and its 2017 in many countries but 1717 in Japan.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

I wonder if one of these ratbags has a father in a position of power somewhere... certainly looks like it to me.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

How can a gang rape be discarded like this with no comment from prosecutors are they so embarrassed by there decision. WTF if it's my daughter and the system fails, open door for me to atone these sexual beasts. Dispicable boys certainly not men.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Gang rape, out of court settlement is not good enough for society these boys gang raped a woman, gang raped and alarmingly are given a free pass. What the hell does this say about Japan's view of woman and their worth. A few dollars and gang rape is ok?

8 ( +9 / -1 )

"Daddy's money paid" is the right expression. Only extremely wealthy families send their sons to Keio for generations.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Guess people will vote these travesties into government in the future they obviously are untouchable and a small thing like being a participant in a gang rape is of no concern to anyone particularly prosecutors.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Even if the charges are dropped, they should get the boot from school for committing the deed. But, TIJ.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

So, why did she take the money, why did she let the gang rape slide? Did she sell herself here?! Why did the government allow this?

Welcome to the real world. She would have been offered a

5 ( +5 / -0 )

huge amount of money. Counseling costs a heap and it's not covered by insurance. She never sold herself but no one can blame her for trying to move on with her life. I just hope those boys get outted some time some stage on a blog that future employees can find.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

In some countries, I guess in most of the democratic countries, this crime is prosecuted by law.

It's really a shame, that Japan stays aside in cases like this.

And what the 'an out-of-court settlement had been reached' concerns, there is also a chance that the victim got under pressure from the criminal's side, to agree to a settlement.

Pressure can go from daily little 'stings' up to threaten to kill her.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

So you are saying the father/s paid money to the prosecutors to drop the case. That’s a very serious allegation. Do you have some proof?

Educator:

This is Japan, money talks, it's not news

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Absolutely disgusting. This paying people off to drop the case does not serve justice and must be made illegal.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

lesson for those impressionable youths becoming adults in the future - money and power will open doors closed to most and sweep unpleasantness away with the greatest of ease. The true value of education.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Although the prosecutors office gave no reason for their decision, Japanese media reported Wednesday that an out-of-court settlement had been reached between the victim and the defendants.

One is a civil case, and the other is a criminal case

What, none of the perps signed a confession, and the gumshoes couldn't discover other incriminating evidence

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Educator60. Out-of-court settlement is settled between a victim and the defendants and not a between a Prosecutor and the defendants.

What gogogo comment mean was the defendants' fathers had paid compensation settlement money to the victim.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It's disappointing that justice will not be served, but I don't blame the victim. She has been tortured in numerous ways already, I'm not sure if I'd have the courage to see the case through if I were in her position.

仕方が無い

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If you ever went drinking with Japanese girls maybe you won't be so sure about if the story about gang-rape is actually what happened.

I've been drinking with Japanese girls more than most non-Japanese guys on this planet, and I have the ability to talk to them even, being a Japanese speaker. And nothing in my experiences drinking with them gives me reason to doubt what she said.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It is not USA of this year. In Japan, girls do not reveal sexual harassment, groping, or anything. They keep mouth shut and choose financial settlement.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Prosecutors can't give reason when both parties had agreement that stipulated no revealing of names thereafter. This is to protect the victim. from socially ostracized. Boys' names are already known.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Japan justice system is based on "blood money".

There are no laws here, just "guidelines"....

Meh...Japan has been that way for 1000s of years, it will

never change.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Keio was created by Yukichi Fukuzawa for wealthy peoples children. It's private and there are many donations parties. It is not for learning politics. Too expensive for politicians. People who ooown banks can afford,, but politicians prefer Tokyo U.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

When they become adult? They will have two or more mistresses after married to daughter of another wealthy man

1 ( +1 / -0 )

She is Keio student meaning she is vroom wealthy family. But this is Japan. She chose settlement, If she didn't, she will be smeared entire her life. Japanese courts are often cruel to female.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So, why did she take the money, why did she let the gang rape slide? Did she sell herself here?! Why did the government allow this?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Where's a masked vigilante when you need one?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

educator - you mentioned :

"...after the victim filed the criminal complaint, the university cancelled the Miss Keio beauty contest, and the Keio Advertisement Society, which had a 90-year history, was disbanded. Three of the students were suspended.”

I dont happen to think its enough, but it’s hardly “nothing” or “no cosequences....”

Well even if you think it's not enough, it's actually laughable to believe it amounts to something.  For such a malicious act, the gang rape (read violent crime) attracted the cancelling of a beauty contest, a Uni circle and 3 were suspended. Wow! That must really hurt and caused untold suffering to 1,000s.

I don't care which way you want to analyze that, but that IS nothing, repeat nothing! Such actions by Keio would be the absolute minimum required from the start, and as events unfolded should have been far more severe.

toshiko - Do you really believe politicians can't afford Keio??? Alma mater for many political spooners.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

It's no different in America though, with people being able to buy their way out of a conviction. Like that recent case with that rapist swimmer guy, Brock rapist something.. money certainly get him off the hook with a more serious punishment. I'm pretty sure he isn't the only one either... women have it tough worldwide it seems. No means no, and victims are not to be blamed.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

right on @toshiko

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Politicians can't afford Keio. Forget about politician. Extremely wealthy does not include politicians.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Shameful. Utterly, utterly shameful...

Shame on the girl for accepting this money and shame on the proecutors and the defense councils for going through with this pantomime. In Japan, money can and does make any - and I do mean ANY - problem disappear. Those scumbags know what they did and no amount of parental pay-offs can change that fact.

I hope the girl enjoys the money. If I was one of her female friends, I'd disown her for crimes against womanhood....

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

5 guys 1 girl drinking at a beach house? come on people something is gonna happen??

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Well, not really sure what happened. If you ever went drinking with Japanese girls maybe you won't be so sure about if the story about gang-rape is actually what happened.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Makes you wonder if there was any truth in this or was it just a scam to get money - "out of court settlement".

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

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