Famed Tennis Coach Arrested on Non-Consensual Sex Charges; Claim That It Wasn’t Forced Raises Questions

She was called to his room every night

“It is true that we had sexual intercourse, but it is not true that I invited her and forced her into it.”

The tennis coach arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman he knew has reportedly partially denied the charges.

“On May 16, 2026, the Chiba Prefectural Police arrested Tetsu Matsushima (65), a tennis school coach from Shirako Town, on suspicion of non-consensual sexual intercourse. Matsushima is suspected of sexually assaulting a woman he knew at his residence—a dormitory room at his tennis academy—on the night of May 8.

The case came to light after the woman consulted police, saying she had suffered sexual victimization. While Matsushima admits to having had sexual intercourse with the woman, he partially denies the allegation, claiming that it was not forced,” said a reporter from the social affairs desk of a national newspaper.

On May 17, Matsushima was transferred to prosecutors. Appearing at the transport entrance of Mobara Police Station while being supported by officers, he boarded the police vehicle while dragging his right leg. During that time, he repeatedly looked down and glanced from side to side, appearing visibly unsettled.

Matsushima is known as a prominent coach who has trained numerous top athletes who have gone on to compete successfully at world championships. According to some reports, an acquaintance of the alleged victim stated that she was called to his room almost every night under one pretext or another and seemed to be living in constant fear.

What kind of relationship existed between Matsushima and the alleged victim?

In recent years, sexual abuse of students by coaches in sports clubs and school athletic programs has become a growing issue. Students often exist within strict hierarchical relationships dominated by their coaches, making it difficult not only to resist but even to express refusal.

One notable example is the widely reported incident last year involving a judo academy in Chiba Prefecture. The head instructor was charged with offenses including non-consensual sexual intercourse after allegedly giving female children juice containing sleeping medication during training camps and sexually assaulting them while they were unconscious.

The instructor’s crimes first came to light after he was arrested in November 2024 for assaulting a male student. During the subsequent investigation, authorities discovered that he had also sexually assaulted a female high school student who attended the academy three years earlier, in 2021. He was later charged under the Chiba Prefecture Child Welfare Act for those offenses.

“I was afraid of being removed from the starting lineup”

The victim’s statement recorded in the investigation described her feelings at the time of the incident as follows:

“I felt like my body was being toyed with, but if I refused, he would become upset, ignore me, or deliberately make training harsher, so I couldn’t say no. I want the defendant to understand that what he did is something society cannot accept, and I hope he receives severe punishment.”

During the trial, the head instructor also admitted:

“At the time, I believed the victim had feelings for me, but I have come to realize that the relationship between a coach and a student is not an equal one.”

On October 22, 2025, the head instructor was sentenced to 22 years in prison. He did not appeal, and the sentence became final.

Another case involved the general manager of a prestigious private high school soccer club in Tokyo, who was arrested on December 10, 2023, on charges including indecent assault without consent. He allegedly instructed four male players to photograph their lower bodies and send the images to his social media account.

According to the victims’ statements, one of the boys said:

“I didn’t want to do it, but I was afraid that if I disobeyed the coach, I would be removed from the starting lineup.”

Many of the victims were scholarship students, making it even more difficult for them to oppose him.

One of the boys realized that what had happened to him constituted sexual abuse after watching news coverage of the Johnny’s sexual abuse scandal. He then consulted his parents, leading to the case coming to light. Without his disclosure, the incident might never have become public.

During his trial, the general manager apologized, saying:

“I’m sorry that I made them feel uncomfortable.”

However, he also insisted that:

“It was just the kind of crude joking common in athletic circles. The same thing was done to me in the past.”

He argued that his actions did not constitute sexual abuse. Whether he genuinely underestimated the seriousness of his crimes became apparent when prosecutors sought a 12-year prison sentence. He looked up at the ceiling in shock, and during his final statement was unable to speak for some time.

On November 5, 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He did not appeal, and the sentence became final.

Matsushima reportedly claims that it was not forced. However, as these previous cases demonstrate, it is possible that the alleged victim was simply unable to resist because of the power imbalance between herself and her coach, Matsushima.

The truth will likely become clearer as the investigation progresses.

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