Police in Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, have arrested a 22-year-old semi-professional baseball player who works part-time as an Uber Eats delivery worker on suspicion of sexually assaulting a female customer.
According to police, Hiroto Yasuda, who plays for the Gunma Diamond Pegasus, is accused of sexually assaulting the woman after he delivered a food order at around 7 p.m. on Dec 23, Sankei Shimbun reported. Police said the victim is a vocational student.
Police said that Yasuda had delivered food to the woman’s apartment many times in the past. After handing her the meal at her door and exchanging a few words, he forced his way in and allegedly sexually assaulted the woman, police said.
Police said Yasuda has denied the allegation and quoted him as saying, “I had sex with her but it was not forced.”
Asked for a comment on the incident, Gunma Diamond Pegasus refrained from releasing a public statement, claiming “there is no one in charge” at this time.
© Japan Today
32 Comments
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Lindsay
It sounds more like a rape than a sexual assault.
snowymountainhell
No word from UberEats, either ? - It’s only Tues, Dec 28 and was not a holiday weekend for Japan. The incident was Thur, Dec 23. Someone needs to speak up and, at least, claim the standard:
“We are looking into the matter and will make a decision once all the facts are available. In the interim, we will strive to see there is not a recurrence.” -therougou
Well the original article said she was in her teens. So she might have been under the age of consent, but more info is necessary.
Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne
Sound like he's totally unprofessional whether its baseball , food delivery or respect for women and customer service.
This is the problem with these fly by night outfits like uber where anyone can work .
Rob Nads
He doesn't have to prove anything. It's up to her and the prosecutor to prove that it was non-consensual.
Sounds like you're accusing an innocent man (who has not yet been convicted of anything) with a serious crime.
nonu6976
His word against hers - she lives in apartment so probably has neighbours - did she scream, yell? Any marks on her or him. Not sure how prosecutors here handle such cases if evidence either way is lacking.
nonu6976
Equally, seems strange he would assault her knowing full well he would easily be identified.
Oxycodin
Yeah it is redculous cuase any serial rapist or pyschopath can be a delivery man for uber eats.
snowymountainhell
This is a new(?) one in the Japan’s ‘Excuse-Making Department’ (bureau, ministry, whatever..):
“Asked for a comment on the incident, (insert organization here) refrained from releasing a public statement, claiming “there is no one in charge” at this time.” -
noriahojanen
You're wrong or un-updated. The criminal code on sexual offenses has become stricter. For example, the third party can now get involved, report it to the authorities.
starpunk
Absolutely. He's been there several times to 'wear her guard down', then he struck like a cobra.
In most rape cases, the assaulter knows the victim.
Sal Affist
Minor leaguers in America also are paid so little that they have to "moonlight" at side jobs during the off-season in order to have enough money to live on the whole year. Uber and Uber Eats are popular gig jobs because they can be started and stopped without significant paperwork.
Kev James
Even If it was consensual, it’s going to be hard to prove that without evidence, like if they had exchanged mails etc. I hope they can get to the bottom of this, but it would seem his word against hers.
Seems strange she let him in for a quickie whilst he was working though.
noriahojanen
Better wait and see if he's actually indicted. Info from both sides seem conflicting...
That's what I'm afaid of....
It reminds me of another rape allegation case back in this summer involving a Uzbekistan student and volunteer at the Olympic venue. The story was then highly sensationalized. JT also covered it while discussions got heated in the forum section. What happened then? The case was dropped. Yet the suspect's IDs were already revealed, his rights being largely infringed while virtually no mainstream media outlets, again including JT, have ever followed it up. Shouldn't be repeated.
国立競技場で性的暴行の疑い 逮捕の大学生 不起訴 東京地検
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20210805/k10013183861000.html
shogun36
Yeah...............pretty sure it's whoever signs the player's paychecks.
girl_in_tokyo
Rob Nads Dec. 28 05:28 pm JST
According to this definition of "innocent", before the trial concludes the accused is always "innocent". Does this then mean that people are accusing, and the police are arresting and putting on trial "innocent men" each and every time?
It's pretty clear that you are misusing the word.
One must be proven guilty in a court of law in order to be sentenced, but in reality, the accused may or may not be innocent at the time of arrest. The trial doesn't determine guilt or innocence; it determines whether there is enough evidence for a conviction. We all know that the innocent sometimes go to jail, and the guilty sometimes go free.
I also note that you are not consistent applying this principle. word. By default, you're accusing the woman of lying about a crime. Do you have evidence of this? Should she not be considered innocent until proven guilty as well? Or does that only apply to the accused rapist?
Let's be clear. Looking at the facts of a case and forming an opinion is not "accusing an innocent man." If we are not allowed to use the information we know to form an opinion, then how is anyone to protect themselves? As an example, if your neighbor were arrested for child molestation, would you invite him over for tea? After all, he is "innocent," right? There should be nothing stopping you from trusting him with your children.
In relation to this case, if a man has been accused of rape, should, or shouldn't, a woman trust him enough to let him into her home? And if she did, would you then accuse her of lacking common sense, and say she was foolish to trust him? After all, several posters here are saying here that this woman should not have trusted the Uber deliveryman, and that was even before he was accused of something.
It seems to me women can't win - if we trust men, we are foolish; if we don't trust them, we are accusing an innocent man of a horrible crime.
purple_depressed_bacon
Ah jeez are people going to start having to bring pepper spray to the door when collecting their UberEats orders?
snowymountainhell
As many have *@samuraivunyl 3:19pm,*** *you may make your opinion as you will. No decision was made, there are still not enough facts and never claimed to be “a judge”. - *My @5:50pm comments were for the victim to receive counseling and for the accused to receive a speedy & fair resolution to the accusations:
“Sad for the victim. Hoping she will get adequate counseling & rehabilitation.In the interest of ‘justice’, may the accused be dealt with fairly and expeditiously” -
Jero Sakura
Since this is an “allegation” at this point, It is wrong to add information that he “played baseball” specially adding the team that he plays for.
kurisupisu
The time and place to have sex is not at work which Yoshida was.
Naive in the extreme…
Oxycodin
Time to bann uber eats and get that out of this country... it leads to crime because the customer expects a profeshional delivery to your home and what do you get a man trying to rob you or beat you or rape you.
Just not profesional UBER! Nothing uber about your company.
shogun36
Got it.
So who will she be suing, Hiroto Yasuda, Uber Eats or Gunma Diddler Pegasus?
Or maybe all three?
I hope she takes all of them to the cleaners and gets paid!
snowymountainhell
Sad for the victim. Hoping she will get adequate counseling & rehabilitation.
In the interest of ‘justice’, may the accused be dealt with fairly and expeditiously.
Rob Nads
Rediculous.
blahblah222
Actually it would be impossible for him to be charged or prosecuted. This case will 99% chance of being dropped.
The women must be physically incapable of resisting for a rape charge to stand in Japan, that generally means death, injury severe enough to prevent resistance, or other means such as being tied up etc. Without that being established, it would be impossible to press charges.
Even if one gets charged with rape in Japan, the worst that could happen would be 2-3 years suspended sentence with zero social consequences.
Mark
He has delivered food to her place several times in the past, if she was not comfortable with him showing up at her apt. she should have let UBER know. sound to me she was either ignorant or things did not go her way.
Khaos
I find it really hard to believe that it was forced. How would he know she's alone and not expecting guests, or that she has no means of defense. In pure speculation, she might have invited him, and after doing it, felt used, embarrassed and abandoned, and decided this was a sex assault because he didn't object to it.