Japan national footballer to leave team over suspicions of sexual assault

Footballer Junya Ito of the Japan national team has decided to leave the national squad, as reported by the Japan Football Association.

The reason behind this decision is the accusation of sexual assault against the player. Therefore, the footballer has chosen to depart from the national team during the Asian Cup. It has been reported that last year, two women accused Junya Ito of subjecting them to sexual assault. In June 2023, after a match between the Japan national team and Peru, he engaged in sexual relations with intoxicated women at a hotel in Osaka.

The head coach of the Japan national team has stated that he is not aware of this matter and plans to address it.

The police have stated that the 30-year-old Japanese player is currently under investigation. Ito's lawyer has declared the accusations as unfounded. While acknowledging that the footballer did spend time with these two women, the complaint alleges that their accounts are contradictory. Additionally, there are no physical evidence supporting their accusations.

As a reminder, four Canadian hockey players are also accused of sexual assault.