Shropshire Star

Japan pop star apologises for forcibly kissing teenage girl

Tatsuya Yamaguchi also has a role promoting the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

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Tatsuya Yamaguchi in contrite mood at a press conference in Tokyo (Muneyuki Tomari/AP)

A member of the popular Japanese male pop group Tokio has said sorry for forcibly kissing a teenage girl at his home.

Tatsuya Yamaguchi, 46, said he would suspend work with the band and other entertainment projects.

Yamaguchi acknowledged at a news conference that he kissed the girl at his home in February when he was drunk.

“I’m so sorry that I caused her to suffer,” Yamaguchi said.

“As a minor, she must have been frightened by an adult male.”

Yamaguchi has not been charged and his agent, Johnny & Associates, said in a statement that the two sides have reached a settlement.

Tatsuya Yamaguchi speaking at a press conference (Daisuke Suzuki/AP)
Tatsuya Yamaguchi speaking at a press conference (Daisuke Suzuki/AP)

The case is the latest in a series involving sexual misconduct that have rocked Japan, where awareness and support for victims and the #MeToo movement have been slow to grow.

Yamaguchi said he was not aware of what he had done to the girl until he was contacted by police more than a month later.

He said he fell asleep after talking to the girls for about an hour and they were gone when he woke up.

Yamaguchi and other members of the group are “special ambassadors” on an Olympic and Paralympic Flag Tour project promoting the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The organising committee and the Tokyo metropolitan government are co-sponsors.

“Given Mr Yamaguchi’s significance to us as a special ambassador to the Flag Tour, it is very disappointing for Tokyo 2020,” the organisers said.

They said they will discuss how to respond to the situation.

“It’s extremely regrettable. That’s all I can say,” Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike said.

The suspension of Yamaguchi’s work has forced Japanese television networks to change their scheduled programmes.

Shops and restaurants in Fukushima prefecture removed posters showing Yamaguchi, who helped campaign for the region’s recovery from a severe accident at a nuclear plant.

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