Sankei Shimbun (via Tokyo Reporter) reports that at around 12:45 AM on Sunday, Tomoaki Hashizume, 30, was arrested by police in Osaka Prefecture, Japan after a fatal bar fight. It is alleged that Hashizume, a former boxer, killed Sosuke Asada, 41, using a remote control for a karaoke machine.
The deadly fracas is reported to have taken place in a hostess club in Matsubara City. The hostess club is described as a sunakku bā or ‘snack bar,’ which is an establishment that serves alcohol and employs female staff to serve and flirt with patrons.
It is alleged that the fight began 15 minutes after Hashizume arrived at the club, along with an acquaintance. It’s reported that he then got into a dispute with Asaka, and three other people, over the sound of a karaoke machine.
The dispute supposedly escalated and resulted in Hashizume allegedly beating Asada and at least one other person with the karaoke machine’s remote control. One of those individuals suffered a broken nose and Asada was left needing hospital treatment.
Asada died approximately an hour after arriving at hospital. His cause of death has been reported as the result of a subarachnoid hemorrhage (a type of stroke caused by bleeding on the brain) due to a cerebral contusion.
Police are accusing Hashizume of inflicting the deadly injury to Asada. It is possible that Hashizume will now be charged with manslaughter.
According to reports Hashizume has denied striking a fatal blow on Asada. He has been quoted as saying, “Since I was drunk, I do not recall [the incident]” to investigators.
Hashizume is a former professional boxer who fought at super bantamweight. Between 2005 and 2011 he held a pro record of 14-3-2.
This is not the first time a combat sports athlete has been accused of hyper violence with a karaoke machine remote control. In 2017 top sumo wrestler Harumafuji Kōhei was embroiled in controversy after a wild bar fight involving a younger and lower ranking sumo wrestler.
That incident resulted in the young wrestler reportedly suffering a skull fracture after being allegedly assaulted with the remote control, a microphone, a beer bottle, and an ashtray inside a karaoke club in Fukuoka. After the incident Harumafuji made a public apology and then retired from sumo competition.
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