Man With Chosen-Seki Status, 42, Arrested Twice in Sapporo's Susukino — Once for Punching a Man, Then for Tearing Up Police Paperwork; Denies Both Charges
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
Sapporo Chuo Police Station announced on August 11, 2026 that it had arrested a self-described company employee, 42, holding Chosen-seki status and living in Sapporo's Chuo Ward, on the spot on suspicion of assault. According to reports by HBC Hokkaido News and other outlets, he is accused of punching a fellow customer, 50, in the face at a restaurant in the ward's Minami 4-jo Nishi 3-chome area around 5 p.m. that day. Officers who responded to a witness report of a "brawl inside the restaurant" arrested him on the spot.
He was arrested a second time, on suspicion of destroying official documents, after tearing up paperwork related to his own arrest procedure while being taken to the police station. He has denied both allegations, reportedly saying he "didn't do it" regarding the assault and that he "didn't tear it up on purpose" regarding the document destruction.
Current status: The cause of the dispute and whether the case will be referred for prosecution remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.