Japan's pop band Tokio member resigns over sexual misconduct

TOKYO -- Tatsuya Yamaguchi of Japan's star pop group Tokio, who acknowledged last week he had sexually harassed a teenage girl, says he's quitting the band.

The other four members appeared in a news conference Wednesday that was broadcast live on national television, making the Tokio scandal one of the most high-profile .MeToo cases riveting Japan in recent weeks.

Tokio leader Shigeru Joshima says Yamaguchi apologized to the other members and submitted his resignation Monday night, but there was no immediate decision whether to accept it and the group won't disband.

Yamaguchi acknowledged he had forced a kiss on a high school student in February. She reported it to police. Authorities decided not to pursue charges against 46-year-old Yamaguchi after the parties settled out of court.

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