Ex-Table Tennis Japan Rep Accused of Disturbing Acts Against Middle School Victim

The testimony of the victim, who was a junior high school student at the time of the incident

“Before the incident, I wanted to become much stronger in table tennis, but after what happened, I lost all desire to play. I decided instead to focus on studying. Something I was so passionate about—table tennis—was completely destroyed. That’s why I want the defendant to quit table tennis as well, and to sincerely reflect and atone for his crimes.”

These were the words of C, a woman who says she was subjected to indecent acts by former Japan national team and professional table tennis player Kaii Konishi (44). She spoke in a calm tone, yet conveyed clear anger toward the defendant.

“On August 20, 2024, the Saitama Prefectural Police Warabi Station arrested Konishi on suspicion of forcible indecency without consent. He is alleged to have committed indecent acts on a woman in her 40s, referred to as A, who is the mother of one of his students, at the ‘WEILAI Table Tennis School’ where he coached on August 7. About a month later, on September 30, he was re-arrested on suspicion of quasi-forcible indecency, for a similar act in June 2019 against B, a woman in her 30s and also the mother of a student.

‘WEILAI Table Tennis School’ is run by Konishi’s wife, An Konishi, herself a former Japanese Olympic representative. Prosecutors indicted Konishi on charges relating to three victims: A, B, and C—who was still in junior high school when she was victimized in July 2023.” (National newspaper social affairs reporter)

At the third hearing on July 14 in the Saitama District Court, victim C took the stand for questioning. Once again, her testimony came from behind a partition, and was interpreted into Chinese for Konishi, who had naturalized from China in 2004.

In 2023, C was in junior high school. Having achieved strong results in table tennis since elementary school, she began attending the WEILAI Table Tennis School to aim even higher in her sport.

「Licked and sucked on her right ear」

C, responding to questions from the prosecutor, began recounting the events of that day in late July when the incident took place.

“On that day, I arrived at the table tennis school around 9 a.m., left my belongings in the waiting room, and started getting ready. Inside the practice area, it was just the defendant and me. After finishing my stretching, the defendant told me to lie face down.

Then the defendant began massaging me, pressing and rubbing my back and shoulders. After a while, his hands gradually moved up from my calves and thighs, and he even slipped his hand inside my pants and directly touched and groped my buttocks. I was very shocked and thought it was disgusting.

For a moment, I wondered if this was still supposed to be part of the massage, but I knew it was strange for him to touch my butt directly. After that, the defendant moved to the right side of my face,” she testified.

“The defendant crouched down beside my right side, put his index finger in front of his mouth as if to shush me, and then started licking my right ear. He licked around inside my ear and sucked on it. It was just revolting—I couldn’t process what was happening. Then, after licking my ear, he said, ‘You did well to endure that,’ and handed me a tissue.”

She went on to explain that after she sat up and wiped her ear with the tissue, the defendant told her, “Close your eyes.”

“For a moment, I did close them, but then I sensed something coming closer and opened my eyes. The defendant told me again, ‘Close your eyes.’ But I thought, if I do, he might try to kiss me. I absolutely wanted to avoid that, so I shook my head. Then the defendant said, ‘Are you embarrassed?’ I didn’t feel embarrassed, but I just nodded to avoid escalating the situation.”

At that point, the defendant said, “Let’s focus from here on,” and returned to his normal demeanor, putting on his shoes.

When she got home, C said, she felt so disgusted that she kept washing her ear at the sink. When the prosecutor asked her whether the incident had affected her daily life, she answered:

“Even now, whenever I’m alone with a man, I feel terrified. At the time of the assault, the defendant’s mouth smelled of Chinese food, so for a while afterward, whenever I smelled Chinese food, I would feel sick. At night, whenever I closed my eyes, the memories of the incident would come back to me.”

She Reported the Abuse to Coach A via Email

On the following day, the 15th, C’s mother took the stand, speaking from behind a partition. She testified that she sensed something was wrong when, upon returning home, C kept washing her ears at the sink, and she also described the shock she felt when she learned about the incident. She revealed that her decision to file a police report stemmed from an email exchange with (Konishi) An coach.

“I emailed Coach An about what my daughter had suffered at the hands of Kaii Konishi. But the reply I received stated that Kaii Konishi had committed no indecent acts, with no admission of guilt, no apology, and it seemed as if Coach An believed him instead. At that point, I thought I had no choice but to go to the police, so I called them.”

Although C’s mother responded as calmly as she could, when the subject turned to C quitting table tennis, her voice shook, and she spoke through tears.

“Because of the sexual abuse she suffered from the defendant Konishi, table tennis—which should have been something joyful for her—turned into something terrifying. Kaii Konishi, who stole table tennis away from my daughter, who loved it so much, must never be allowed to return to the world of table tennis again.”

C, who had devoted herself to training in table tennis since she was very young, ended up quitting.

If she had quit because she had reached the limits of her ability, that might have been understandable. But the bitter reality of having to quit due to sexual abuse by her coach will likely remain in C’s heart forever.

At the initial hearing held on May 29, the defendant Konishi, through his lawyer, denied the allegations of indecent acts against the three victims. Regarding C as well, he claimed, “I did not put my hand inside her underwear, nor did I lick her ear.” At the next trial, the defendant will be questioned. Even after hearing the anguished voices of the three victims over the course of three hearings, will the defendant Konishi still continue to repeat the same denials?