timelesz’s Shuto Inomata Released, but Fans Still Have Questions About His Relationship With a Woman

“Were you in a relationship with the woman?”

Shuto Inomata, 25, a member of the eight-member idol group timelesz, who was arrested on suspicion of assault, was released from Tokyo Bay Police Station, where he had been detained, on September 25. With more than 50 members of the press watching, he apologized, saying:

“I sincerely apologize for what has happened!”

He bowed his head for approximately 20 seconds, then got into a waiting car and left.

At around 10 p.m. on September 18, Inomata allegedly punched a woman several times in the face while inside a car parked in a convenience store parking lot in Koto Ward, Tokyo, following an argument. The woman reportedly suffered a nosebleed and bruising on her face. She ran into the convenience store to seek help, and a customer who was there called 110, Japan’s emergency police number. Inomata was arrested at the scene.

About a week after the incident, an out-of-court settlement was reached with the woman. Initially, Inomata reportedly told police during questioning:

“We got into an argument, and I might have accidentally hit her. I panicked.”

He subsequently admitted to the allegations, according to reports.

As Inomata was released, reporters also called out to him, asking:

“Were you in a relationship with the woman?”

Inomata did not respond, but the nature of their relationship is an important factor in understanding the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“He was hit by her boyfriend.”

This was how the woman’s account was reported immediately after the incident. Some female fans reacted particularly strongly to the statement. On social media, comments emerged such as:

“Were they really dating?”

“There’s no way she was his girlfriend.”

The convenience store where the incident occurred is located in a business district lined with warehouses. During the day, many office workers come and go, but the area becomes sparsely populated at night. Some fans even began approaching convenience store employees with questions timed around when the incident had occurred. Speaking to our publication, a staff member responsible for information programs at a television network said:

“Immediately after the incident, a large number of women who certainly didn’t seem like local residents flocked to the area. The convenience store was concerned that this could interfere with its business, so more recently, it has entrusted the handling of the matter entirely to its corporate headquarters.”

The possibility of a gag order

The fans who flocked to the scene want to know two things: Did the altercation really happen, and who was the woman with him? Some women’s magazines have reported that Inomata and the woman were seen chatting amicably in the convenience store’s eat-in area.

“Women believed to be Inomata fans contacted the convenience store to ask questions such as, ‘How old was the woman, what did her face look like, and what was she wearing?’ Another woman reportedly tried to lead the conversation by asking, ‘They didn’t seem like they were dating, did they?’ and ‘It would be strange if they were, wouldn’t it?’ They were probably shocked by the incident and struggling to believe it could be true,” says the television information program staff member quoted earlier.

Many media outlets continue to refer to the woman as an acquaintance, but according to a social affairs reporter for a national newspaper:

“The woman is 26, around the same age as Inomata. According to the police, they consider her to have been his romantic partner. However, they have not disclosed anything about her height or physical appearance.”

The exact subject of their argument also remains entirely unknown.

“That is a sensitive matter, so the details have not been shared even within the police. If information were to leak and lead to people trying to identify the woman, it could cause further harm to her. The investigation was focused strictly on the case of a man committing violence against his romantic partner,” the same national newspaper reporter explains.

Generally, out-of-court settlements involve an apology, financial compensation, and agreements specifying what information must not be disclosed. A sports newspaper entertainment reporter says:

“I expect Inomata himself will eventually issue a statement, but I think there is a strong possibility that the woman’s identity and the details of their argument are covered by a confidentiality agreement. Fans may be left without the answers they want.”

Regarding the incident, women claiming to be the victim and videos purportedly showing the moment of the assault have circulated on social media. Needless to say, these are fabricated claims and misinformation. We should be careful not to be misled by them.