A 44-year-old man went on trial Monday at the Nagoya District Court in connection with the death of a 25-year-old woman who was allegedly forced to consume 32 shots of tequila in roughly 90 minutes at a bar in 2023. Hiroki Itaya, a resident of Nagoya’s Minato Ward, faces charges of indecent assault causing death and kidnapping for indecent purposes, Tokyo Reporter reported.
The incident took place on May 7, 2023, at a bar in Nagoya’s Naka Ward where Itaya was a regular patron. According to the indictment, Itaya instructed a bartender to call out to the woman, whom he had never met before. The tequila she consumed was described as 40% alcohol by volume, according to Asia News Network.
Prosecutors alleged that Itaya ordered the tequila after the woman simply nodded when asked if she could drink alcohol, according to NHK World Japan as Yahoo News Canada reported. He then allegedly encouraged her to keep drinking by repeatedly asking, “You can still drink, right?” Over the course of approximately 90 minutes, the woman consumed all 32 shots.
The prosecution’s opening statement painted a disturbing picture of the evening. During the drinking session, Itaya allegedly made sexual advances toward the woman, including inviting her to a hotel and touching her breasts over her clothes. The woman reportedly refused his invitation to go to a hotel, according to court testimony.
Despite her refusal, Itaya allegedly took the woman to a lodging facility. However, prosecutors stated that he gave up on attempting to have sex with her when he realized she was in a critical condition. She was later found collapsed at a hotel in Naka Ward and was subsequently confirmed dead, The Japan News reported.
The young woman died on June 21, 2023 — approximately six weeks after the incident — from hypoxic encephalopathy caused by acute alcohol poisoning. She was just 25 years old. The prolonged gap between the drinking session and her death underscores the devastating neurological damage that acute alcohol poisoning can inflict on the brain.
In court on Monday, Itaya acknowledged that the woman died as a result of his actions but firmly denied having any indecent intent. “It is true I encouraged her to drink but I didn’t have any sexual intent,” he stated, as Japan Today reported, citing Kyodo News. His defense team argued for full innocence, asserting there was no indecent motive behind his behavior that evening.
The trial is being conducted as a lay judge trial, a format in Japan where ordinary citizens sit alongside professional judges to determine verdicts and sentences in serious criminal cases. The proceeding has drawn significant public attention given the shocking nature of the allegations.
Meanwhile, reports have shed light on Itaya’s background. A 2023 report in the weekly tabloid Flash described him as a former leader of a bosozoku motorcycle gang who currently leads a group of so-called “half-criminals.” According to the same report, Itaya and members of his gang have been accused of theft and robbery on numerous occasions, and he was reportedly accused in 2019 of smuggling counterfeit department store gift certificates.
Separately, Time News described Itaya as a company executive in Nagoya, though his employer has not been publicly identified. The contrast between his reported corporate role and alleged criminal associations has added another layer of intrigue to the case.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for April 15, 2026. Legal observers will be watching closely to see whether prosecutors can prove that Itaya’s actions were driven by indecent intent — a key element the defense has vigorously contested. The outcome could hinge on whether the lay judges find the circumstantial evidence of sexual motivation compelling enough to support the charges.
The case has reignited discussions in Japan about alcohol-related harm and the responsibility of those who pressure others to drink excessively. For the family of the 25-year-old victim, the trial represents a long-awaited step toward accountability nearly three years after a night out ended in tragedy.
