<figure id="attachment_329551" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-329551" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="8f53a26d"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/08/68133d1b21599c5f7e34a78850e7a063.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-329551" class="wp-caption-text">Hotaka Yamakawa of the Seibu Lions was not charged with sexual assault against a woman. But what he has lost is a big &#8230;&#8230;</figcaption></figure>
 The reputation of Hotaka Yamakawa, 31, of the Seibu Lions, who was also selected for Japan&#8217;s WBC team, is changing. &#8230;&#8230;
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 In November 2010, a female acquaintance, A, filed a report alleging that she was sexually assaulted by Yamakawa at a hotel in Minato Ward, Tokyo. The Azabu Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has been investigating to build a case, but recently the case was sent to the police for prosecution due to insufficient suspicion. In other words, the case was &#8220;dropped.
 In response, on August 30, the Nippon Professional Baseball Players&#8217; Association asked the Seibu baseball team, media, fans, and others to take careful action based on objective facts. In a statement issued under the name of Secretary General Tadahito Mori
 The players&#8217; association has concluded that, although there are points to be regretted, especially in relation to the family, there has been no settlement or other payment from the player in question to the other party, and that there is no evidence to support the other party&#8217;s version of the facts as reported to the police by the other party.
 He explained. He continued.
 The media reports and social media posts that are not based on objective facts have continued, and as a result, the Saitama Seibu Lions baseball team, to which the player belongs, and even the parent company, Seibu Group, have received claims that are not based on any objective evidence.
 Some of the disturbances up to now have been caused exclusively by these one-sided words and actions that are not based on objective facts, and not all of the responsibility for the disturbances can be placed on the player in question. The media, fans, and the Saitama Seibu Lions baseball team are requested to take careful actions based on objective facts on the premise that the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office has issued a non-prosecution order against the player in question.
 Yamakawa, who is in his 10th year as a professional player, is now a member of the Tokyo Professional Football League.
 Yamakawa, in his 10th year as a professional, has batted .254 with 0 home runs and 5 runs batted in in 17 games this season. His chances of being registered as a first baseman are virtually nil, and he has had his season thrown away by a series of violent incidents.
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 In light of this, the players&#8217; association has issued a statement of support for him, but baseball insiders and fans have called it &#8220;premature.
 It is premature.
 The players&#8217; association&#8217;s comments are premature.
 However, many baseball insiders and fans are cautious, saying that it is too early for the players&#8217; association to comment.
 The reason is that Mr. A has strong feelings of punishment, and there is a possibility that he will file a complaint with the Public Prosecutors&#8217; Office in the future. If the prosecution is found to be appropriate, the case will go to a jury trial, which will inevitably prolong the problem.
 Some media reported that Mr. A offered a settlement of 100 million yen to Yamakawa&#8217;s side. Some people were suspicious of Mr. A&#8217;s background.
 However, some people believe that Ms. A is making her confrontational stance clear by setting an amount that she is unlikely to pay.
 In the past, journalist Shiori Ito claimed that she was sexually victimized by former TBS reporter Takayuki Yamaguchi, and although the criminal case was dropped, the Supreme Court found in a subsequent civil suit that Mr. Yamaguchi engaged in sexual acts without her consent. Last year, the second trial court ruled in favor of Yamaguchi, awarding him 3.32 million yen in compensation.
 At the same time, Mr. Ito wrote in his book, etc.
 Mr. Yamaguchi used date rape drugs.
 The second trial court also ordered Mr. Ito to pay ¥550,000 in damages to Mr. Yamaguchi, claiming that the expression &#8220;Mr. Yamaguchi used date rape drugs&#8221; in his book and other publications was not recognized as true.
 Because of this, many people say that the players&#8217; association&#8217;s announcement of a &#8220;pro-Yamakawa&#8221; comment is &#8220;a bit premature.
 The case against Yamakawa was considered difficult from the beginning because it was a closed room with only Mr. A and Yamakawa in the room. Yamakawa&#8217;s path to a comeback is now open.
 However, even though the case was dropped, the damage to his image caused by the commotion was serious. He is currently in the third army and preparing his condition, but the possibility that he will be traded in the off-season cannot be dismissed.
 The situation for Yamakawa is likely to continue to be unpredictable.

 Yasuko Sakaguchi

 Hotaka Yamakawa of the Seibu Lions, who was indicted on charges of sexually assaulting a woman, has been cleared of all charges.

Seibu&#8217;s Hotaka Yamakawa not indicted, but &#8220;next, a civil suit may be filed with the Public Prosecutors Office&#8230;&#8221; Some say it is premature for the players&#8217; association to &#8220;fully defend&#8221; him.

Seibu’s Hotaka Yamakawa not indicted, but “next, a civil suit may be filed with the Public Prosecutors Office…” Some say it is premature for the players’ association to “fully defend” him.

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