Several outlets have reported that Japanese singer Kousuke Atari (44), best known by anime fans for songs in BLEACH and Natsume’s Book of Friends, has been arrested for sexually assaulting a man in his sleep at a public bath. Fuji News Network (FNN) reports the men did not know each other. The incident took place in Tokyo around 2 am.
FNN adds that once the victim awoke and realized he was being assaulted, he subdued Atari himself. A bathhouse employee called the police, which was how the incident came to light.
At 12:45am JST, a post from Atari’s social media team released the statement pictured above:
“Regarding the arrest of Kousuke Atari,
Today, some outlets are reporting that Kousuke Atari has been arrested.
First of all, we would like to offer our sincere apologies to those who have been affected.
We would also like to offer our deepest apologies to fans and all those involved for causing great concern and inconvenience.
We are aware of the reports regarding this matter, but are currently unable to contact the person in question and are in the process of verifying the facts.
We will notify you as soon as we have confirmed the details, and we appreciate your understanding.“
Atari’s credits include song performances of:
- BLEACH Ending 13: “Tane wo Maku Hibi“
- Natsume’s Book of Friends Season 1 Ending: “Natsu Yuuzora“
- Natsume’s Book of Friends Season 3 Ending : “Kimi no Kakera“
Source: Fuji News Network, Kousuke Atari’s X (formerly Twitter)
