Junya Ito’s National Team Comeback Possible if Not Charged

“I want to return to the national team as soon as possible.”

It is said that former Japan national team midfielder Junya Ito is earnestly appealing. 

In January of this year, two women accused Junya Ito of sexual assault without their consent and filed a criminal complaint. Osaka Prefectural Police have sent documents to the prosecution against both Ito and the women. Ito has countered by accusing the women of false accusation, claiming their allegations are untrue.

In late January, during the Asian Cup where he was playing for the Japanese national team, Ito was reported for “sexual misconduct” by “Daily Shincho” and subsequently left the team during the tournament. Since then, he has not been called up to the national team.

The police investigation has concluded, and the case is now in the hands of the prosecution. According to legal experts

“As initially anticipated, it is expected that both parties will not be indicted, resolving the matter.”

They said, “Usually, prosecutors do not disclose the reasons for not prosecuting.” 

“Not being prosecuted doesn’t mean nothing happened. It could be due to insufficient decisive evidence and the inability to sustain a trial.”

 

“This case occurred in a hotel room, where both sides’ accounts directly contradict each other, making it inherently difficult to fully ascertain the facts.” (Legal expert)

In response to the notification of sending documents to the prosecution, attorney Hirotaro Kato, representing Junya Ito, held a press conference in Tokyo.

“The likelihood of not being indicted is strong.”

And we are confident about it.

“I want to return to the Japanese national team as soon as possible.”

Junya Ito himself stated this.

“I want to return to the national team soon.”

It is said that he expressed this sentiment. 

In February, Junya Ito filed a civil lawsuit against two women in Osaka District Court. The lawsuit seeks over 200 million yen in damages, including claims for damage to social credibility due to media coverage and termination of advertising contracts.

On the other hand, there has been no lawsuit filed against Shinchosha, the publisher of Weekly Shincho. A sports newspaper soccer reporter stated,

“On the internet, there are many voices calling for a lawsuit against Shincho as well, but it’s not certain that they would win if they sued. Shincho has not wavered in their stance that they can win if truthfulness is questioned.”

He said.

In terms of economic losses, it’s difficult to determine where the responsibility lies. The decision to remove him from the Japan national team roster following the Shincho report was made by the Japan Football Association. 

After being criminally accused, Stade de Reims, the French Ligue 1 team where Ito is a member, continued to field him based on the principle of “presumption of innocence.”

“At the time of the Asian Cup, other national team members directly appealed, ‘We want to continue playing with Junya until the end.’ Initially, the team leaned towards keeping him, but ultimately, considerations for sponsors led to Junya Ito being excluded from the team. It’s inevitable in Japan, where sponsors wield absolute influence, but one wonders if there could have been another solution.” (Same sports newspaper reporter)

Given these circumstances, it may be difficult to seek full compensation from both Shincho and the two women for the damages incurred from his exclusion from the national team.

The prosecution’s decision is expected by the end of the month. Depending on that, will Junya Ito return to the Japan national team?

“Supporters are eagerly awaiting it, and it will depend on the details, but most sponsors seem inclined to approve his return if he is not indicted. Refusing his return despite non-indictment could potentially lead sponsors to face backlash from fans.” (Same sports newspaper reporter)

Japan will start its 2026 North American World Cup Asian Final Qualifiers in September, grouped with Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China, and Indonesia in Group C. It’s a tough group with strong teams, so the question remains whether Ito can become a trump card for the team.