Japan’s Kanagawa Prefectural Police Department recently announced that they have arrested Kobayashi Tsunobu (53 years old), a civil engineering worker from Kawasaki City in Saitama Prefecture, who is suspected of assaulting and seriously injuring an spectator during the Asian Champions League Elite match.
On the evening of March 12th, during the second leg of the AFC Champions League elite match, Shanghai Shenhua suffered a 0-4 defeat to Kawasaki Frontale. During this match, violent behavior occurred at the stands where the fans of Shanghai Shenhua were located.
Kobayashi Tsunobu punched a 41-year-old Chinese national working in Japan in the face, resulting in a broken nosebone.
Following the incident, Kawasaki Frontale Club and the Kanagawa Prefectural Police initiated an investigation, and Kobayashi Tsunobu, aged 53, was arrested in Kawasaki City, Saitama Prefecture, by the suspect. The suspect confessed without reservation.
The Kanagawa Prefectural Police stated that prior to the violent incident, the victim had been involved in a heated verbal altercation with other Shenhua fans after Kawasaki Frontale scored. At this time, the suspect Kobayashi Tsunobu suddenly appeared and assaulted the man.
It is reported that the victim chose to report the incident while also reaching out to several well-known Shanghai Port fans on social media to voice their condemnation of the suspect.
When the person filming the incident posted a video on YouTube, the police received multiple messages from people present at the scene, indicating that Kobayashi Tsunobu was involved, stating, “He seemed like someone who was causing trouble in another football match.”
The police indicated that they ultimately identified the suspect through surveillance footage from the area.