Prosecutors likely to drop sexual assault charges against Japanese midfielder Junya Ito

Prosecutors are expected to drop a sexual assault case against soccer midfielder Junya Ito. Ito was accused of having sex with two women who were too drunk to consent in an Osaka hotel in June 2023.

According to sources, Osaka police, who handed the case over to prosecutors on Tuesday, have expressed suspicion that the two women who filed complaints against Ito did so on the basis of false or inaccurate information.

In January, the two women filed a police complaint, claiming that 31-year-old Ito, who plays for French club Stade de Reims, sexually assaulted them after getting them drunk and they were unable to defend themselves. Ito has since filed a separate criminal complaint, stressing that the sexual acts were consensual and that he has evidence proving the allegations false.

Ito, who married in 2021, rose to fame during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He left the Japanese national team in February after Daily Shincho reported on allegations of sexual harassment in January.