Mainz- new arrival arrested for sexual assault
Japanese national player Kaishu Sano is arrested in Japan over the summer for alleged sexual assault**Japanese national player Kaishu Sano, who joined 1. FSV Mainz 05 from Kashima Antlers in early July, was arrested in Japan over the summer for alleged sexual assault. The 23-year-old is accused of taking a 30-year-old woman to a hotel room with two other men on a Sunday night and committing a sexual assault. According to various Japanese media reports, citing sources familiar with the investigation.**
The Japanese news agency Kyodo News reported that Sano and the two other men are suspected of committing the sexual assault between 2 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. in a short-term rented hotel room in the Bunkyo district of Tokyo. They are said to have dined with the alleged victim and a friend of hers on Saturday evening before going to the hotel. The friend of the woman is reported to have left before the incident occurred.
The alleged victim is said to have contacted the authorities immediately after the incident. The three suspects, identified as Sano and his two former youth teammates Taiki Yamamoto (20) and Hayato Takeuchi (20), were reportedly arrested on Sunday after they volunteered to be questioned by the police and investigative authorities.
Mainz "surprised" by the news
According to Japanese broadcaster Asahi TV, Sano has confessed to the crime. He faces six years in prison or more, according to the "Bild" newspaper. Mainz 05 reportedly paid 2.5 million euros for the Japanese player but will not have to pay his salary until he can join the team.
On Wednesday morning, Mainz 05 tweeted: "We were surprised by reports from Japanese media about new signing Kaishu Sano being arrested in his home country. We cannot evaluate or comment on these reports due to a lack of information."
It is unlikely that Sano, who signed a four-year contract until 2028, will join the team of coach Bo Henriksen soon. "It has always been my dream to play football abroad, the Bundesliga is something special in Japan," Sano said after the transfer announcement.
Despite the allegations of sexual assault against him, Kaishu Sano's transfer to German Football-Bundesliga team 1. FSV Mainz 05 remained finalized, with the club expressing surprise upon learning about the situation. Despite the incident, Sano had expressed his excitement to play soccer in the Bundesliga, viewing it as a unique opportunity for a Japanese player.
