Japanese authorities have arrested a former taxi driver in Tokyo on suspicion of drugging and raping a female passenger, amid reports that he may have assaulted as many as 50 women over several years.
According to Japanese media, including Yomiuri Shimbun and Jiji Press, investigators discovered approximately 3,000 videos and images on the suspect’s devices, allegedly showing sexual assaults carried out either in his taxi or at his residence.
Tokyo police confirmed on Thursday that the 54-year-old man had been detained the previous day over an incident last year in which he is accused of giving a woman in her twenties sleeping pills, rendering her unconscious, and then sexually assaulting her at his home while recording the act.
A police spokesperson told AFP the suspect was arrested on charges of non-consensual sexual intercourse and violating laws related to the filming of private body parts. Authorities did not disclose the suspect’s name or further case details.
Media reports indicated that traces of the sleeping pills were later found in the woman’s hair, supporting her account.
The footage recovered by police allegedly spans back to 2008, suggesting a prolonged pattern of abuse. The suspect is believed to have used similar tactics on other victims, potentially while operating as a taxi driver.
Japanese outlets also reported that the man had previously been arrested in October last year for allegedly drugging another woman and stealing 40,000 yen (around $280). He was released at the time but was later taken back into custody in December in connection with a separate sexual assault case.
Authorities are now working to identify and contact the women shown in the videos, as the scale of the alleged crimes raises questions about how the suspect was able to avoid detection for so long.
The case has drawn significant public concern in Japan, where sexual violence remains a deeply sensitive and often underreported issue.
AloJapan.com