JAPAN TIMES


 

A 42-year-old man believed to be a student from Taiwan has been arrested in Tokyo for allegedly assaulting Japanese celebrity Haruna Kojima, the Metropolitan Police Department said Tuesday.

The man is suspected of hugging and pushing Kojima, a former member of pop group AKB48, onto the street at around 9 p.m. Monday, after she came out of the day's event held at a facility in Shibuya Ward to mark the release of her photo book.

Kojima, 36, was uninjured.

In police questioning, the man admitted to hugging her while saying that he had no intention of harming her.

Members of Kojima's staff apprehended the man and called the police, and officers from the MPD's Shibuya Police Station took him into custody.
The man did not attend the event, according to the police.

The police station is investigating the incident, including the suspect's motive.

Investigative sources said Kojima's staff informed the MPD in early August about a fan engaging in problematic behavior at events featuring her.

The staff described the fan as a student from Taiwan who did not speak Japanese, and police believe that fan is also the suspect in the latest incident.

The man visited every event Kojima attended, and the MPD had kept in touch with Kojima's staff regarding him.