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Ex-Shōnen Sirius Editor Arrested for Assault, Battery
posted on by Egan Loo
Police in Tokyo arrested 48-year-old Kodansha editor Hideyuki Igarashi on Wednesday for the alleged assault and battery of a female Tokyo company employee in her 40s in a restaurant. According to the police, Igarashi denies the charges, saying that he was drinking and does not remember the incident.
Igarashi allegedly confronted the victim, who was sitting at a counter in a Shinjuku-ward bar early on the morning of May 25, by saying, "Nan da, omae-ra?" ("What do you want?") He then allegedly struck the back of the women's head with his palm and injured her neck — sustaining an injury that remained two weeks later. The police say that the woman did not know Igarashi, and they are investigating accusations that Igarashi assaulted other women who were with the first victim.
The Japanese publisher Kodansha said that Igarashi was the editor-in-chief of Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine and director of its third editorial board. However, Kodansha changed the magazine's leadership when the alleged incident came to light on Tuesday.
Sources: Sankei, Mainichi Shimbun
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