The Great Sasuke

The Great Sasuke arrested on suspicion of assaulting man on train

Saturday 21st February, 06:49 AM JST

TOKYO —

Professional wrestler and former Iwate prefectural assembly member The Great Sasuke has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a man on a train in Tokyo, police said Friday.

Sasuke, 39, whose real name is Masanori Murakawa, allegedly kicked the 36-year-old company employee, grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the door of the train late around 11:50 Thursday night. Witnesses said Sasuke got angry about having his picture taken with a cell phone camera while on a JR Joban Line train, police said.

Both men got off the train at nearby Minamisenju Station, where Sasuke was arrested after a bystander called police. Sasuke, who was wearing a wrestling mask at the time, denied allegations of assault.

Police quoted Murakawa as saying, “I didn’t want to be photographed when I was wearing the mask. I have the portrait right.”

Sasuke gained popularity during the 1990s largely for his wrestling mask costumes and was elected in 2003 as an assembly member of his native Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan. He drew attention nationwide because he engaged in activities as an assembly member while wearing masks until he failed to get reelected in 2007.

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Latest 15 of 35 Total Comments Show All

BBLeo at 01:25 PM JST - 21st February

Lucky guy, that he wasn't thrown out from the train. Will this celebrity get suspended sentence? Is this mask the same that robbers are using them at night?
Patto at 01:38 PM JST - 21st February

There have been times when I really wanted to grab a cell phone pest by the collar and ram him/her against the train door too. This is why I no longer take the train. When I have to, I wear my bee hat (silver mesh) and stand by the silver seats, where people are supposed not to use their cell phones, but do anyway. What would happen, I wonder, if a person with a pacemaker grabbed a silver-seat phone-user and rammed him against the door? I realize this was not the Great Sasuke's situation and that he made an idiot of himself, but I feel the slightest hint of sympathy for him. These handy phones are great for some and a terror for others.
gogogo at 03:39 PM JST - 21st February

Portrait right only works on photos you have taken not on photos taken from other people... moron!
Scrote at 04:07 PM JST - 21st February

Not so "Great" now is he? The police should confiscate his childish mask.
ptolemy at 04:48 PM JST - 21st February

Cut the guy some slack, he is after all a pro-wrestler. Then again, forget it, the fact he is a prowrestler is enough cause for insulting him.
Carry on.
likeitis at 06:05 PM JST - 21st February

Had the man taken pics of this guy's woman's legs, some people would say he deserved the beat down.
Faderkinta at 09:58 PM JST - 21st February

Maybe he should have said something first but cell phones on the train are damn annoying. I also think manners for pictures use to be to ask the person if it was alright.
akaguma at 12:35 AM JST - 22nd February

the lame suckhole strikes again
helloklitty at 12:38 AM JST - 22nd February

Sasuke, who was wearing a wrestling mask at the time, denied allegations of assault.

"It wasn't me," the photo-shy wrestler insisted. "It was some fan of mine wearing an identical mask."
BurakuminDes at 01:48 AM JST - 22nd February

One of the saddest, most pathetic (yet funniest) stories ive ever read on Japan Today! This guy Sasuke used to ply his trade as a "wrestler", was still wearing his mask years later, on a train, probably still living the fantasy of being a somebody. What a waste of space, oxygen-thief this lame-ass Sasuke is...and at 39 years old for Gods sake...time to grow up and get a proper job. I have a toilet for you to clean for 300 yen, Sasuke-san...c'mon boy...
Philmoscowitz at 05:28 AM JST - 22nd February

“I didn’t want to be photographed when I was wearing the mask. I have the portrait right.”

OK, just what is "the portrait right"?
space_monkey at 10:24 AM JST - 22nd February

The whole thing is probably a publicity stunt.

Masked man beats salary man punk.

Japan meet Borat.
Samuraiiki at 12:44 PM JST - 22nd February

I guess not so great any more. He who make an entry in grand is heading for a crash.
blackstarrr2003 at 03:25 AM JST - 23rd February

If you are wearing a mask full time when you are not in a wrestling ring something is truly wrong with you to begin with. he a coward who is always looking for attention... pu thim in a mental institution!!
TheguyNextdoor at 12:24 PM JST - 27th February

its kind of funny.....wrestler who stayed in character arrested for believing it was all real. dumb @$$