Sano ‘available’ for Mainz as sexual assault probe ends

Japan footballer Kaishu Sano will join Bundesliga side Mainz’s pre-season training camp after a public prosecutor closed a sexual assault investigation against the player, the club announced Wednesday.

Sano signed with Mainz recently but was yet to join the club due to an investigation into an alleged incident on July 14 in Tokyo.

Mainz began their pre-season training camp in Austria on Wednesday and the club confirmed Sano would join the camp due to the closure of the investigation. 

“Kaishu Sano is now available to Mainz 05 as a player,” Mainz posted on X. 

“The public prosecutor’s office in Tokyo has closed the investigation against the Japanese international player, who was signed at the beginning of July.

“Kaishu Sano will follow the team to the training camp on Thursday.”

Contacted by AFP, police in Tokyo declined to comment on the status of the investigation. 

In a statement issued Monday, Sano said he “offer(ed) my sincere apology to the victim for my actions that caused great trouble.”

“I take the consequences of my action seriously and will strive to restore trust,” he was quoted as saying.

The defensive midfielder and two friends, also in their 20s, allegedly sexually assaulted the woman at a hotel in Tokyo, Japanese media reports said.

After responding to a call immediately after the alleged assault from the woman, reported to be in her 30s, police arrested the three near the hotel, the reports said.

Sano, who has made four appearances for Japan and was part of the squad at this year’s Asian Cup in Qatar, signed for Mainz earlier this month from Kashima Antlers.