Gang of 4 suspected of groping woman on Saikyo Line not prosecuted

Dec 25, 2017 | News On Japan

Dec 25, 2017 (tokyoreporter.com) - Prosecutors have announced the non-prosecution of four men over the alleged molestation of a woman inside a train carriage in Tokyo earlier this year, reports NHK.

On July 19 at just past 7:00 p.m., Yusuke Saito and his three cohorts allegedly probed their fingers inside the underwear of the woman, a female office worker aged in her 20s, inside a carriage of the JR Saikyo Line as it traveled between Ikebukuro and Itabashi stations.

On Thursday, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office announced the non-prosecution of the four suspects, who were accused of indecent assault.

A reason for the non-prosecution was not given. However, investigative sources said that three of the four suspects reached an out-of-court settlement with the victim. For the fourth suspect, there was insufficient evidence against him, according to the sources.

Upon his arrest, Saito admitted to the allegations, telling police, "To watch other passengers touch [the woman] got me excited, making me want to touch [her]." Two other suspects also admitted to the charges, while the fourth told police that he was present but could not reach the woman.

According to police, the four suspects were not acquainted prior to the incident. They are believed to have committed the alleged crime together after communicating on an internet bulletin board site where persons post messages about molesting women on trains.

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