Fukuoka prosecutors drop case against ex-Hawks player over alleged indecent act
In short
Fukuoka prosecutors decided not to indict a 55-year-old former Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks player who was arrested in August over an alleged non-consensual indecent act on a woman in her 20s, with the decision dated October 2. The Fukuoka District Public Prosecutors Office said it would not disclose the reason, citing privacy protection in a sexual crime case. The man had denied the allegation, telling police he had no indecent intent, according to reports.
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Fukuoka prosecutors have decided not to indict a 55-year-old former Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks player who was arrested over an alleged non-consensual indecent act on a woman in her 20s. The decision was dated October 2, according to Nippon TV News and Livedoor News, and was reported by outlets on October 5. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The man was arrested in August on suspicion of the act against an acquaintance woman, which TBS NEWS DIG said took place at his home in Onojo City, Fukuoka Prefecture, from the night of August 17 into the following morning. The outlet identified him as Katsuhiko Miyaji, 55, a former Hawks player who manages the Kyushu Honeys; Jiji Press also named him. Nippon TV News and Livedoor News referred to him only as a former Hawks player aged 55. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The Fukuoka District Public Prosecutors Office said of the non-indictment: “性犯罪につき、プライバシー保護のため理由は明らかにしない” — that because the case concerned a sexual crime, the reason would not be disclosed in order to protect privacy. The man had denied the allegation during police questioning, saying, according to Nippon TV News and Livedoor News: “結果としてわいせつな行為かもしれませんが、決してわいせつな目的はありませんでした” — that it might have been an indecent act in result, but that he had no indecent intent. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The case involves a former professional baseball player and, in one outlet's account, a current manager of a women's baseball team, drawing attention beyond local news. The prosecutors' refusal to explain the non-indictment leaves the basis of the decision publicly unstated, a point the coverage highlights.
Key facts
- A 55-year-old former Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks player was arrested over an alleged non-consensual indecent act on a woman in her 20s. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Fukuoka prosecutors decided not to indict him, in a decision dated October 2. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The Fukuoka District Public Prosecutors Office said it would not disclose the reason for the non-indictment, citing privacy protection because the case concerned a sexual crime. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The man denied the allegation in police questioning, saying that while the act may have been indecent in result, he had no indecent intent. [ 3 , 4 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG identified the man as Katsuhiko Miyaji, 55, a former Hawks player and manager of the Kyushu Honeys, and said the alleged act took place at his home in Onojo City, Fukuoka Prefecture. [ 1 ]
- The woman was an acquaintance, according to TBS NEWS DIG. [ 1 ]
- Jiji Press reported the non-indictment of a former SoftBank player over the suspected non-consensual indecent act on an acquaintance woman. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A 55-year-old former Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks player was arrested over an alleged non-consensual indecent act and was not indicted. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The Fukuoka District Public Prosecutors Office said it would not disclose the reason, citing privacy protection because the case concerned a sexual crime. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The reason prosecutors decided not to indict. The Fukuoka District Public Prosecutors Office said it would not disclose the reason, citing privacy protection for a sexual crime, so no basis for the decision is publicly stated.
- Whether the man remains manager of the Kyushu Honeys. Only TBS NEWS DIG names him as the team's manager; the documents do not say whether he stayed in that role after the arrest.
- The date of the arrest and further details of the allegation. The documents say only that the arrest came in August; one outlet gives the night of August 17 to the following morning as the time of the alleged act, a detail no other document repeats.
- Fukuoka prosecutors decided not to indict him, in a decision dated October 2. Reported by a single source so far
- The man denied the allegation to police, saying he had no indecent intent. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The alleged non-consensual indecent act on a woman in her 20s took place at a home in Onojo City, Fukuoka Prefecture, from the night of August 17 into the following morning, according to TBS NEWS DIG. [ 1 ]
- Fukuoka prosecutors decide not to indict the man, in a decision dated October 2. [ 3 , 4 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports the non-indictment, naming Katsuhiko Miyaji, 55, as the former Hawks player and Kyushu Honeys manager involved. [ 1 ]
- Jiji Press reports the non-indictment of the former SoftBank player by the Fukuoka District Public Prosecutors Office. [ 2 ]
- Nippon TV News and Livedoor News report the non-indictment, the prosecutors' refusal to give a reason and the man's denial. [ 3 , 4 ]