Actor Nijiro Murakami apologizes amid investigation into alleged assault

Japanese actor Nijiro Murakami has broken his silence following reports linking him to an alleged assault case involving his ex-partner. The star of the Netflix series “Alice in Borderland” issued a statement on Instagram, offering his "most sincere apologies for the great concern and inconvenience I have caused to all involved, as well as to all my fans and followers." Murakami indicated that he would address the circumstances surrounding the case at a later time. Japanese media reports suggest the actor is under investigation for alleged incidents that took place in Tokyo's Shibuya district between March and May 2024. His ex-partner reportedly accused him of assault on four separate occasions, claiming she was hit, pulled, and had her head struck against a window. The injuries, according to the complaint, took approximately one month to heal fully. The case was initially filed with the Harajuku police station before being forwarded to prosecutors for a thorough review to determine if formal charges will be filed against Murakami. During the investigation, local media reported that Murakami partially acknowledged the events, stating, "There is no doubt that I hurt her." His agency has not yet released an official statement, and Murakami has paused a leading role in an upcoming television project titled “Strange: Junji Ito's Strange Stories That Keep You Up at Night,” scheduled for a July 3 release.