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Actor Hirofumi Arai Indicted on Sexual Assault Charge

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office announced that actor Hirofumi Arai was indicted on February 21 on a charge of sexually assaulting a masseuse at his home. Prosecutors did not reveal whether Arai has admitted to the charge.

Police arrested Arai on February 1 due to allegations of sexual assault involving rape. The 40-year-old actor reportedly denied part of the allegations. According to the investigation, Arai sexually assaulted a woman in her 30s at about 2:30 a.m. on July 1 after she came to his apartment to give him a massage.

Japanese entertainment company Nikkatsu announced earlier this month that it cancelled the release of the live-action film adaptation of Daisuke Watanabe's Gedō no Uta (The Villain's Song) manga. The film, titled Zenaku no Kuzu after Watanabe's first manga in the series, had finished filming and was slated for release this year. Arai was slated to star in the film as Takeshi Kamonome (Kamo).

Arai's talent agency terminated his exclusive contract shortly after his arrest. Additionally, BS Fuji suspended the scheduled broadcast earlier this month of the irregular television program Utsukushiki Sakenomi-tachi, which Arai hosts. Arai is starring in the Taifū Kazoku film, which is slated to open in June.

Arai was born in Aomori Prefecture in 1979. He made his acting debut in 2001 and appeared in works such as the Blood and Bones film and NHK's Taiga drama series Sanada Maru. He was nominated for the Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role award in 2016 for his performance in the film 100 Yen Love. Arai has also appeared in live-action films such as Gintama, Bakuman., and Space Brothers.

Image via Eiga.com

Source: The Mainichi (Kazuhiro Toyama)