Osaka: Seventh alleged rape involving nampa school emerges

OSAKA (TR) – The president of a school that teaches the art of picking up women and two former students have been arrested on suspicion of rape, the seventh such case to emerge, police revealed on Thursday, reports Jiji Press (Apr. 4).

In the early morning hours of March 2, 2018, the suspects — Taisuke Watanabe, 42, dentist Naoya Sawada, 26, and corporate executive Takemichi Goto, 49 — are alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman, aged in her 20s, at a residence in Osaka City’s Chuo Ward after forcing her to consume large quantities of alcohol.

Because the woman was rendered helpless by the alcohol, police accused the suspects of quasi-coerced intercourse. They were arrested on Wednesday.

Watanabe, who is the president of Real Nampa Academy, has declined to comment on the allegations. Meanwhile, Goto denies the charges, telling police he has “no recollection [of the matter].”

However, Sawada, who was a student at Kyushu University at the time, admits to the allegations. “I was invited by a lecturer [at the academy] to go on a expedition in Osaka,” the suspect was quoted by police.

“Osaka House”

Among students at the academy, the residence used in the crime was known as “Osaka House” in discussions about where to bring women, police said previously.

Prior to the incident, the suspects met the woman at a club in Osaka City. They then forced her to consume alcohol in the club’s VIP room before taking her to the residence, police said.

Persons connected to the academy, which has locations in Tokyo and Osaka, have previously been arrested in six other cases, four of which involved Watanabe.