Japan winger Junya Ito was referred to prosecutors Tuesday on suspicion of injuring two women through quasi-forcible sexual intercourse, sources close to the matter said, but it is unclear whether he will be indicted.
The police also referred the two women to prosecutors, suspecting their criminal complaint against the midfielder with the French club Stade de Reims contained information that differed from objective facts, the sources said.
In January, the women filed a complaint with police that they were sexually assaulted by Ito at an Osaka hotel in June 2023 after dining with him.
Ito and his defense responded by denying there was any forced act, filing a criminal complaint alleging they were making a false accusation.
He wants "to return to the Japanese national team as soon as possible" and hopes "the investigation concludes soon," his lawyer told a press conference on Tuesday in Tokyo.
Ito played for Japan at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In February, he withdrew from the national team during the Asian Cup when the allegations were made public.
Ito's side filed a suit against the women with the Osaka District Court in February, demanding damages totaling around 200 million yen ($1.2 million) for the loss of sponsorship deals following the accusation.
The case was transferred to the Tokyo District Court in May.
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