crime

Teacher held over alleged assault of 14-year-old girl

51 Comments

Police have arrested a junior high school teacher in Kodaira, Tokyo, for allegedly assaulting and threatening a 14-year-old junior high school girl on the street.

According to police, the suspect, who has been named as 28-year-old Kota Asanuma, allegedly accosted the girl at about 8:30 p.m. on July 25, TV Asahi reported. The girl told police he came up behind her, covered her mouth and threatened her with a knife. He told her, "Come with me if you don't want to get stabbed," TV Asahi reported.

Police said the girl broke free and ran into a nearby house from where she called her parents. When the parents arrived, the suspect was still in the area and the girl and her parents chased him for 100 meters before grabbing him, TV Asahi reported.

Asanuma had no knife on him and has denied threatening the girl, police said. He teaches at a different school from the one attended by the girl, police said.

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51 Comments
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If he's guilty castrate him......

If he's not, get the girl some serious counselling......

I hope the police investigate this one thoroughly.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

A guy like this should be castrated. What a dumb ass to still be in the area after threatening the girl. (if you want to know what a dumb ass is, it's a person who looks up the word in a dictionary).

-19 ( +1 / -20 )

No evidence whatsoever...and if the suspect did so anybody would have made a run for it. Very fishy...

0 ( +3 / -3 )

He should be no longer allowed to teach after this!

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

If he's guilty castrate him......

Which century do you live in?

A guy like this should be castrated.

Which century do you live in?

7 ( +10 / -3 )

the girl broke free and ran into a nearby house from where she called her parents. When the parents arrived, the suspect was still in the area and the girl and her parents chased him for 100 meters before grabbing him

If I saw this in a movie, I would think it was the most unrealistic, ridiculous writing ever:

"Yea right, the girls gonna call her parents, and not the cops?"

"Yea right, the dude's gonna hang around after she escapes?"

"Yea right, the parents are gonna show up and chase after the guy, WITH the girl, BEFORE they call the cops?"

"Yea right, the guy's gonna get CAUGHT by the parents AND the girl?"

"Who comes up with this stuff?"

In fact, if this was a movie, I'd probably post the above quotes to a movie message board.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

@DentShop

I live in the 21st century. I hope you understand what castrate means.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

As the saying goes,truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. It's plausible she would contact her parents first (she is only 14). She might not know him because he teaches at a different school. And some of you think she, her parents and the people in the nearby house all fabricated the incident?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@DentShop

Don't you know the difference between castration and penectomy (penis removal)?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

So, did he do it?

Did he threaten the girl with a knife?

Was the girl lying?

Isn't there usually a trial of some kind before sentence is passed?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Get the whole story before this teacher is vaporized in the court of popular opinion!

At present, it's hear-say, with no injuries, or proof.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Readers, no more talk of castration please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Get the whole story before this teacher is vaporized in the court of popular opinion!

I agree with you. Last night, I watched the new episode of the program called 黒の女教師. It sure reminds me of how revenge comes in many forms.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

A despicable! act if guilty. Let's wait until he confesses. Luckily, the pervs over here usually tells the truth, never depending on their lawyers to beat the rap. Hope the young can get this episode behind her. I would have had my daughter kick the s*** before I called the law.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Like I said, "IF" guilty. Medically speaking things can be, and are, done to stop perverts.

There needs to be a thorough investigation on this one. Is what the girl saying true? If so give him his day in court.

If not, the girl needs help, either way.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Thank goodness the father had some restraint. If it was my daughter I'm afraid the guy wouldn't need a trial, I would (if a dash to my Embassy didn't pan out).

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Thank goodness the father had some restraint. If it was my daughter I'm afraid the guy wouldn't need a trial, I would (if a dash to my Embassy didn't pan out).

I'm sure there was some restraint, but more intelligence to know that doing something further would bring nothing more than trouble to the family -during a time when enough trouble has already happened. Allowing authorities to investigate was the smartest thing to do. Lashing out in anger would have been stupid.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

the girl and her parents chased him for 100 meters before grabbing him, lol! are you serious? lol! what a stupid teacher, this is gross man. i'm so glad the girl is ok. baka hentai! (-_- #)

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

BertieWoosterJul. 28, 2012 - 09:46AM JST

So, did he do it?

Did he threaten the girl with a knife?

Was the girl lying?

Isn't there usually a trial of some kind before sentence is passed?

BertieWoosterJul. 27, 2012 - 05:55PM JST

OK. That's it!

Time for the US military to leave.

This has gone on long enough.

Bye!

So... if it's not a Japanese person doing this it's presumed guilty but Japanese guy is presumed innocent?

Yes, both should be presumed INNOCENT until found guilty by trial. Regardless of the facts present, they are not all that is available. If there was video proof of it it could be different, but since it's he-said-she-said, we should wait on the results of the trial before making more insinuations.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

So, he ditches the knife, but then stays in the area? That seems rather odd...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I read the headline and thought to myself more child-abuse in Japan. But I read the whole thing twice and it is amusing. No weapon found, no marks on the girl are mentioned, the people's home she ran to allowed her to call home before calling the police and the man was still in the area.

Needs a complete investigation, but to me sounds like revenge for a "lover's spat" to me that the man was hoping to patch things up and that is why he was still there. But that would be bad because he is so much older than her.

And . . . JT, I read peoples comments in other stories on your site where they have criticized you for making headlines to sensational and not factual enough, this time I agree.

Moderator: The headline is accurate.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And . . . JT, I read peoples comments in other stories on your site where they have criticized you for making headlines to sensational and not factual enough, this time I agree.

What is sensational about this headline? As far as I can see, it simply gives you the basic facts of the case.... I'm not sure what else you would want...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I´d suggest everybody waits first to find out if he is really guilty before coming up with lynching suggestions. He says he did not do it, and he did not run away, which seems odd for a crime gone wrong. So far it is only the girl who is accusing him.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

He says he did not do it, and he did not run away,

Did you read the article? It did say;

When the parents arrived, the suspect was still in the area and the girl and her parents chased him for 100 meters before grabbing him,

Chase does mean; to pursue in order to seize, overtake, thus the implication is that he was attempting to flee, otherwise it would be worded differently.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

So a 14 year old girl is able to overpower and break the grip of a 28 year old man when he has her from behind by the head? Either that guy is a big pu$$¥ or that girl is on steroids.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Sounds fishy...Either she's lying; it did happen but the guy they caught is the wrong guy or it did happen and he's just dumb!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What a loony

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Yubaru:

Chase does mean; to pursue in order to seize, overtake, thus the implication is that he was attempting to flee, otherwise it would be worded differently.

You specifically chose the VERB form of the word "chase", the NOUN form is "An act of pursuing someone or something." Hence, it DOES NOT indicate he was attempting to flee. That is your interpretation.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

You specifically chose the VERB form of the word "chase", the NOUN form is "An act of pursuing someone or something." Hence, it DOES NOT indicate he was attempting to flee. That is your interpretation.

Read the article.......

and the girl and her parents chased him for 100 meters before grabbing him,

Notice the word CHASED is used as a past tense verb? Not my interpretation, a fact.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

May I recommend you go buy a dictionary?

May I recommend that you quit being a grammar nazi?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Yubaru

Not my interpretation, a fact. Again, not a "fact", it is your interpretation. That is why we have a legal system to gather facts and then make interpretive judgements.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Yubaru:

" Did you read the article? It did say; When the parents arrived, the suspect was still in the area and the girl and her parents chased him for 100 meters before grabbing him, "

Yes, the article says "the suspect was still in the area". So he did not run away. Because if he did, he would not be in the area.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

darknutsJul. 28, 2012 - 04:47PM JST

So a 14 year old girl is able to overpower and break the grip of a 28 year old man when he has her from behind by the head? Either that guy is a big pu$$¥ or that girl is on steroids.

Maybe he is a pus.sy. Surely the girl isn't a pus.sy

1 ( +5 / -4 )

WilliBJul. 28, 2012 - 08:29PM JST

So he did not run away. Because if he did, he would not be in the area.

Probably started running when two strange people started chasing after him!

0 ( +5 / -5 )

basroil:

" Probably started running when two strange people started chasing after him! "

Of course, I would do that too probably, wouldn´t you? Running away when two strange people suddenly attack you might not be heroism, but it is certainly no proof of guilt.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I would say that the use of "alleged" and "allegedly" is warranted in this case.

The report seems odd and reminiscent of typical comic book stories.

Although plausible I'm reserving judgement here, the whole episode seems fishy.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The Japanese all look alike to me.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

do they have familywatchdog.com sex offender registry in japan? Because the entire country will be plastered in red

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Although plausible I'm reserving judgement here, the whole episode seems fishy

Apparently you are NOT reserving judgement. Without police finding the weapon and a plausible, verifiable explanation from the teacher and knowing if the man has a record of previous offenses there is not much to base an opinion on.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Presto345; You seem to have misinterpreted my post.

I'm saying that we should be cautious before assuming anything. In other words, the man could very well be innocent.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I do find it interesting that it seems the police didn't get involved until after the parents nailed the guy (but the article doesn't give too much in detail)

0 ( +0 / -1 )

I can think of a dozen things that would shoot holes in this story. One would be,If the guy really did that and the victim got free, why hang around to get caught? Another would be the girl is a weirdo who thought about doing this guy in. Hope it turns out she is just that.

0 ( +0 / -1 )

Wow, so people have decided this guy is guilty with such little info. To me, the story doesn't add up. I'm hoping for his sake, it doesn't but he's already been smeared with his name in the press. I'd rather a girl make up a story like this than to think this guy is a nut.

-1 ( +0 / -2 )

tmarieJul. 29, 2012 - 01:22PM JST

Wow, so people have decided this guy is guilty with such little info. To me, the story doesn't add up. I'm hoping for his sake, it doesn't but he's already been smeared with his name in the press. I'd rather a girl make up a story like this than to think this guy is a nut.

Technically nobody should ever say anyone is guilty until they know both the law and the events. We've seen it twice this week that people forget that there is a justice system in Japan, where people are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

1 ( +6 / -6 )

For once I agree with you Basroil.

1 ( +1 / -1 )

I would look for security cameras. There is also the possibility that both are telling the truth. If the girl is suffering for PSTD she might be confused about who was trying to abduct her. Maybe she has been abducted before and therefore panics. It would be very odd if the teacher had a clean slate and then all of the sudden attacked this girl. Both should be evaluated. He may have a split personality. I hope both parties use a high level of emotional intelligence to get through this. Also, the fact that the teacher stayed in the area.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

i don't know what to think of this. strange story, need more information!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Technically nobody should ever say anyone is guilty until they know both the law and the events. We've seen it twice this week that people forget that there is a justice system in Japan, where people are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

If he has a reasonable explaination why he was in the area at the time and why his prints are on the knife they will eventually find, then sure. I agree too. This guy is about a fried as a chicken leg at KFC.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What knife?? Didn't the story have 2-opposing statements? The second one, form the police, is:

Asanuma had no knife on him and has denied threatening the girl, police said.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Yes to gaijin info and pamelot above.

Weird story and fishy. Who knows what happened. (I can just picture the intrepid girl and her obasan mom and sarariman Dad hunting for the Perp: "OK, I bet we'll get him if we split up, honey, you take that street, I'll go over here...") Well my newspaper photographer friend always said the weirder the story the more likely to be true.

ouji- are you joking about perps here telling the truth? You know how the cops get their high confession rate right?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So many weirdos in Japan hehehe !

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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