40-Year-Old Man Allegedly Drugged and Molested Woman from Paid Drinking Sessions

A suspect accused of drugging a woman and committing indecent acts.

 

The man emerged from the police station, slowly descending the stairs while glancing around cautiously. After briefly looking down, he turned his gaze back towards the media. He is an office worker accused of abusing drugs to commit indecent acts against a woman.

 

On July 23, the Setagaya Police Station in Tokyo arrested Yusuke Takahashi (40) on charges of non-consensual indecent acts. He is alleged to have put sleeping pills into a nutritional drink and touched the lower body of a woman in her twenties, identified as Ms. A. The following details outline the nature of the heinous crime. 

“The incident in question occurred in the early morning of June 29 this year. Takahashi allegedly used an app for ‘paid drinking’ services to recruit a woman for a meal, and Ms. A responded to this and became acquainted with him.

On the night before the incident, Takahashi and Ms. A visited a darts bar in Tokyo. Takahashi is believed to have offered Ms. A a nutritional drink laced with sleeping pills shortly before. Surveillance footage from the bar shows Ms. A, appearing disoriented and leaning against the wall, possibly due to the effects of the drug.” (journalist from a national newspaper’s social affairs section)

 

Giving drugs to a woman staying overnight.

Takahashi is alleged to have confirmed that Ms. A was in a state where she could not resist, then accompanied her in a taxi to his home, where the assault occurred.

 

“Takahashi is accused of undressing Ms. A and touching her breasts and lower body at his residence. Once Ms. A regained consciousness, she reported the incident to the police. The incident came to light through surveillance footage from the bar they visited and other evidence. During questioning, Takahashi reportedly admitted, ‘I put sleeping pills in the nutritional drink. There is no mistake that I touched her body,’ acknowledging his crime.” (journalist added)

 

There has been a recent surge in malicious crimes involving the use of sleeping pills. Here are some notable incidents:

 

• October 2022: A guesthouse operator in his 40s was arrested for drugging multiple female guests with sleep-inducing substances and committing sexual assault. The operator denied the charges, claiming consent, but he was indicted on charges including quasi-coerced intercourse.

 

• April 2023: A man in his 30s, a national public servant, was arrested for the fourth time. While dining with a female acquaintance at a bar in Tokyo, he reportedly drugged her drink with sleeping pills. He is accused of performing indecent acts at a shrine and a hotel while she was incapacitated.

 

• May 2023: A stage director in his 40s was arrested for inviting an aspiring idol to his home and giving her a drink laced with sleeping pills. He allegedly sexually assaulted her while she was unable to resist and possibly filmed the incident.

 

Many perpetrators are repeating such crimes using similar methods. The police are also investigating whether there are any additional offenses related to the previously mentioned Takahashi.