“Drinking Every Night”—Corporate Badminton Player Accused of Sexually Assaulting Woman in Her 20s

He followed the woman for 600 meters

At around 9:30 a.m. on June 12, a young man emerged at the head of a line of suspects being transferred from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Tachikawa Police Station to prosecutors.

Apparently unwilling to have his face photographed, he alone kept his head lowered as he walked, while the other suspects proceeded normally. His pace was unusually slow, causing the man walking behind him to look somewhat puzzled. As he shuffled along, the young man appeared to be in deep shock over the irreversible consequences of his own actions.

On June 10, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested Ryo Fujisawa (25), a badminton player for the corporate team JR East Morioka from Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, on suspicion of non-consensual indecent assault.

“Fujisawa is suspected of hugging and kissing a woman in her twenties whom he did not know on a street in Tachikawa, Tokyo, on the night of February 13.

That day, Fujisawa had come to Tachikawa for a badminton tournament. At around 11:30 p.m., he approached the woman, who was walking home alone, and said, ‘Let’s go out for a drink.’ She refused, but he ignored her rejection and continued following her for approximately 20 minutes, covering a distance of about 600 meters.

Security camera footage reportedly captured Fujisawa stalking the woman, hugging her, and kissing her four times.

The case came to light after the woman reported the incident to police the following day, prompting an investigation.

During questioning, Fujisawa denied the allegation, saying, ‘I don’t remember it.’ However, he also stated, ‘I was drunk every night while I was staying in Tokyo, so I can’t say it’s impossible that I did it.’

The woman likewise told investigators that she could smell alcohol on him.”

At the time of the incident, the S/J League III 2025 Season, a corporate badminton competition, was being held in Tachikawa.

What kind of tournament is it?

Was this really the time to be drunk every night?

“The S/J League III is the third division of the S/J League, Japan’s premier corporate badminton league, which traces its roots back to the former Japan League.

The top-tier S/J League consists of 12 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams, while S/J League II has eight men’s and eight women’s teams. This year, S/J League III featured 44 men’s teams and six women’s teams, all competing for their once-a-year opportunity to earn promotion.

The men’s third division is further divided into Division 1 (16 teams) and Division 2 (28 teams). JR East Morioka was promoted to Division 1 in the 2023 season, putting the team in a position to compete for promotion to Division II. Unfortunately, they finished ninth this year,” explained a sports writer.

The tournament was held from February 13 to 15, meaning the alleged incident occurred on the night of the opening day.

“The preliminary round was held on February 13, and Fujisawa’s team finished third in its group, meaning it had already failed to qualify for the championship round. However, promotion/relegation playoffs against Division II teams were still scheduled for the 14th and 15th, so it certainly wasn’t a time when players could afford to relax.

That said, Fujisawa himself claimed he had been drunk every night, so it’s possible he wasn’t even competing in the matches.

Many badminton fans actually prefer watching S/J League III because the spectators sit much closer to the court. Even though it’s the third division, the players are highly accomplished athletes who competed at strong high school and university programs, with many having participated in the Intercollegiate Championships (Inter-College Championships) or the Inter-High School Championships. The level of play is still quite entertaining.

Fujisawa himself was reportedly a standout player in his hometown during high school. If this scandal ends up having a major impact on his playing career, it will undoubtedly leave him with lasting regrets,” the same source added.

JR East’s regional office reportedly stated:

“The matter is currently under investigation, so we decline to comment at this time.”

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