Overview
- Kanagawa Prefectural Police arrested Masaharu Orikasa on June 10 on suspicion of causing injury after a woman reported being struck during a trip, according to media and local inquiries.
- Reports say the alleged attack struck the woman’s face and caused serious injury, and police began investigating after she contacted authorities on return from the trip.
- Orikasa was previously arrested in March on a separate allegation involving the same woman and was released after his case was referred to prosecutors, a procedural step that is not an indictment.
- Orikasa is a second-term Sagamihara city councilor who chairs the council’s General Affairs Committee and missed the June 11 committee meeting, citing a fever to council staff.
- Local leaders have acknowledged the reports, with the LDP municipal caucus leader saying he learned of the arrest from media and will verify facts before considering discipline while the council chair apologized to citizens and pledged strict follow-up.