Japanese actor Hirofumi Arai arrested for sexual assault

TOKYO — Award-winning Japanese actor Hirofumi Arai has been arrested on suspicions of sexual assault.

The prolific 40-year-old, who made his on-screen debut in 2001 and won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actor in 2016 for the movie Hyakuen No Koi (Hundred Yen Love), is accused of sexually assaulting an outcall masseuse in her 30s on July 1 last year.

Arai, who was reportedly drunk at the time of the incident, had called the woman to his residence in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward, near Shibuya, at about 2:30 am.

She filed a police report on the same day, Japanese media reports said, and investigations culminated in a search of Arai’s residence last Friday.

The woman, who has quit her job, was working as a masseuse at a business that provides outcall services. Arai had reportedly engaged the services of the shop for the fourth time and had signed a contract with the business to acknowledge that sexual activity was prohibited.

It was the first time he had met the woman.

The Yomiuri daily quoted the Tokyo Metropolitan Police as saying Arai largely admitted to the allegations during questioning, though he has denied some of them.

“There are things that I did, but there are things that I did not do, like hold her head down,” he is said to have told the police.

Arai was born in Hirosaki city in northern Aomori Prefecture in 1979 and made his debut in the award-winning Isao Yukisada film Go in 2001.

He is a lead actor in the upcoming movie Taifu Kazoku (Typhoon Family), which is slated for release in June.

The production firm said it has not made any decision on the release of the movie.

However, BS Fuji Television said it will cancel a television program starring Arai that was slated to air on Sunday.

Arai has not issued a public statement on his arrest.

In response to Arai’s arrest, his management company Anore said in a statement issued to the Japanese media: “While we have not been able to confirm the detailed facts, it is deeply regrettable that such a situation has occurred.

“We would like to profoundly apologize to the victim and all concerned parties.”