Japanese man sentenced to jail, 20 cane strokes for rape

A Singaporean court has handed down a jail sentence and caning to a Japanese man for the "brutal and cruel" rape of a university student in 2019. 

Ikko Kita, a 38-year-old hairdresser, is reported to be the first Japanese citizen to undergo caning in Singapore. 

Kita will receive 20 cane strokes and serve a 17.5-year sentence.

Caning, a controversial yet common form of corporal punishment in Singapore, is mandatory for certain crimes such as vandalism, robbery, and drug trafficking. 

According to court records, Kita encountered the victim at Clarke Quay, a bustling nightlife area, in December 2019. 

The woman, then 20 years old, did not know Kita beforehand and was inebriated when he took her to his apartment and raped her.

Kita recorded the assault on his mobile phone and shared the footage with a friend. 

The victim managed to leave the apartment and reported the crime to the police the same day.

 Kita was promptly arrested, and two videos of the rape were found on his phone.

The sentencing has garnered significant attention in Japan, sparking discussions on social media. 

While some expressed shock over Singapore's use of caning, others applauded the stringent punishment.