Japanese comedian Saito is accused by police of sexual harassment

TOKYO, October 7 (Jiji Press) – Japanese police have sent documents to prosecutors accusing Shinji Saito, a member of the popular comedy trio Jungle Pocket, of committing a sexual assault on a woman, officials said People familiar with the investigation on Monday.

Saito, 41, has pleaded guilty to the charges and said he regretted that his thoughtless behavior had caused trouble for the victim and his family, according to Tokyo Metropolitan Police people familiar with the investigation.

He is suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s on a bus in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district in July. Only Saito and the woman were on the bus at the time, people said.

The woman told police investigators that she would never forgive the crime, according to the people.

Jungle Pocket was founded in 2006. On September 20, Yoshimoto Kogyo, an entertainment company that manages Saito, announced that he would be taking a break for the time being due to his poor health.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]