Seibu’s Yamakawa, who was indicted on suspicion of forcible sexual intercourse, “A super-sized contract to his favorite team, which was hopeless”.
Hotaka Yamakawa, 31, of the Seibu team, who has been away from actual competition for more than three months due to allegations of sexual assault, has been dropped from the case.
On August 29, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office ruled that Yamakawa was not guilty of the allegations after he was sent to prosecutors on suspicion of forcible sexual intercourse with a female acquaintance. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Azabu Police Station received a report from the female victim alleging that Yamakawa had committed indecent assault. However, the police dismissed the “lethal injury” charge on the grounds that there was no justifiable cause-and-effect relationship.
At the July owners’ meeting, Seibu’s owner Takashi Goto emphasized, “We will wait until the prosecutor’s decision is made. Yamakawa’s return during this season is also a possibility. The players’ association is also requesting Yamakawa’s early return, considering his longevity as a player.
However, the hurdle is certainly high. Seibu is more strict about compliance than other teams. Even though the charges were dropped, there is no doubt that Yamakawa was unfaithful to his wife and child. Yamakawa will be eligible for domestic FA rights in 17 days. He would like to return to Seibu as soon as possible in order to get his FA rights, including leaving Seibu, where he may be severely punished.
What kind of trouble was Yamakawa’s alleged assault on a woman for which he was not prosecuted? The following is a recapitulation of an article that appeared in FRIDAY Digital on May 13 of this year, looking back on the turmoil and also touching on the “large-scale contract transfer” that is said to have been scrapped (some content has been revised).
Disagreements between Yamakawa and the woman’s claims
An outrageous scandal has surfaced involving Yamakawa.
On May 11, Bunshun Online (hereafter Bunshun) reported allegations of indecent assault against a woman in her twenties. According to “Bunshun,” last year, Yamakawa and Ms. A had dinner at a high-class yakiniku restaurant in Minato Ward, Tokyo, and then moved to a bar with a private room that looked like a hotel. Ms. A suffered an injury on the lower half of her body and was bleeding. A few days later, he reportedly consulted with the police, and a damage report was accepted.
In response to a direct interview by “Bunshun,” Yamakawa denied any indecent assault, saying, “It was absolutely not forced. Yamakawa denied any indecent assault, saying, “I was pushed down forcibly,” which was at odds with Ms. A’s claim.
Yamakawa married a former softball player whom he met in college in 2005, and they have a young daughter. There is no doubt that he committed adultery and betrayed his family. Yamakawa was selected as a member of the WBC “Samurai Japan,” which Japan won, and was famous as a beloved character who would enliven fans with his “dosukoi pose” when he hit a home run. However, this scandal must have tarnished his image considerably.
