Soccer Coach Arrested for Lewd Acts with Student Makes Incoherent Claims in Court

“Senior members did interesting things like this too. You can do it too!”

Takuya Yoshida, a 30-year-old former head coach and teacher of the prestigious Shuutoku Middle and High School soccer team, who is facing charges of non-consensual lewd acts among other offenses, had his trial held on September 3 at the Tokyo District Court.

 

The Disturbing Hidden Face

According to the indictment, Defendant Yoshida used his position as coach to summon male team members, engage in lewd acts, and record these acts on his smartphone. He reportedly encouraged the recording with phrases such as the one above.

“Defendant Yoshida began working with the team as a part-time job during university and was appointed head coach right after graduation. He was known for his coaching skills, leading the struggling team to victory in the Kanto Tournament and participation in the national championships, and he was also involved in scouting players. While he maintained a clear distinction between on- and off-duty times, behaving like a peer or older brother to the students during off-hours, it turns out that the renowned coach had a disturbing hidden side,” said a judicial reporter from a national newspaper.

In the court sessions on August 19 and September 3, Yoshida repeatedly offered excuses in his testimony.

“Four team members, identified as A through D, have reported being victims. While Yoshida admitted to the recordings, he claimed, ‘It was a trend within the team to make lewd videos, and the filming was done in a male bonding manner,'” added the reporter.

When asked by his lawyer about the reasons for starting the recordings, Yoshida explained that in his third year as coach, he was advised by a coach from another school on the importance of physical conditioning. To visualize physical changes, he began recording the upper bodies of team members in the nude.

When team members sent photos to Yoshida, they started sending lewd pictures and videos to make him laugh, and lewd content became popular within the team. Yoshida claimed that he joined in on this trend, thinking of himself as an older brother figure. He also showed lewd videos to new students and had them perform lewd tricks and acts.

 

Openly talking about lewd topics.

Yoshida reportedly spoke to team members daily, asking things like,

“Are you properly taking care of yourself?”

He was able to bond with the members through lewd topics, and for lewd acts and performances, he had the feeling of,

“Wanting them to shed a layer and expose themselves.”

And explains,

“It was not to satisfy my own sexual desires; there were circumstances and triggers.”

However, when the prosecutor pointed out that he had admitted guilt immediately after arrest but switched to silence during the investigation, and asked, ‘Aren’t you yourself not exposing anything?’ he was seen nervously hesitating.

Furthermore, when questioned about the content of the videos involving peeling back the foreskin, manual stimulation, and inserting fingers into the anus, he claimed,

“They said they hadn’t washed their genitals or didn’t know how to masturbate, so I wanted to help them somehow.”

He recalled that the victimized boys were also laughing in the videos and thought, “I thought they were finding it amusing,” but the reality is that all four victims, A through D, have rejected offers of settlement.

 

More than 100 Sexual Images of Minors

Additionally, numerous search histories related to homosexuality were found on Yoshida’s tablet. When asked for an explanation, he said,

“I heard that someone I know was featured, so I was gathering gossip among my friends.”

He explained, “I heard that someone I know was featured, so I was gathering gossip among my friends.” However, because some search terms included “middle school boys’ bath,” he was questioned, “Can you really believe that your acquaintance is appearing in these searches?” He denied any sexual interest in men, stating,

“I achieved a top position at a young age and continued for eight years. I got results and was flattered by those around me, and I couldn’t view myself objectively.”

There were also moments where he showed remorse.

“More than 100 sexual images of over 15 boys were found on his smartphone. I believe Yoshida’s words of remorse are aimed at reducing his sentence, but it is unlikely that they will improve his impression,” said the aforementioned national newspaper judicial reporter.

What kind of judgment will be handed down to the ‘Emperor with No Clothes’?