Beloved Boy Group Member Suspected Of Assaulting And Threatening To Kill Taxi Driver
A member of a legendary boy group is currently under investigation for alleged assault and intimidation.
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Imaichi Ryuji is a singer, actor, and member of the popular Japanese boy group, Sandaime J Soul Brothers. The group falls under the umbrella of EXILE TRIBE, a supergroup of artists under the agency LDH. Ryuji became a Sandaime J Soul Brothers member in 2010, after winning the singing competition show, Vocal Battle Audition 2: ~Yume o Motta Wakamono-tachi e~, along with Tosaka Hiroomi.
On July 31, Japanese media reported that Ryuji had been referred to prosecutors by police for allegedly assaulting and threatening to kill a taxi driver in Tokyo. The incident is said to have taken place on April 5 at around 5:30 a.m. after Ryuji had been drinking. Charges were filed the same day.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Yoyogi Police Station, Ryuji punched the acrylic board separating the taxi’s front seats and back seats, pulled the driver’s arm, and told him, “I’ll kill you,” while the driver driving him and his acquaintance home. The driver sustained no injuries during the ride, which reportedly lasted about 10 minutes.
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During the investigation, Ryuji reportedly said that he had been irritated during the taxi ride because he had argued with someone before getting into the vehicle.
Although the incident has sent shockwaves through the Sandaime J Soul Brothers’ fandom, this is not the first time Ryuji has been in the news for his behavior while intoxicated. In January of 2020, the Japanese tabloid Shukan Bunshun reported that Ryuji had thrown alcohol at a woman he had picked up at a karaoke bar in Ishigaki, Japan.
