Tokyo - Mr Joji Obara (49), the Japanese businessman charged over the rape and killing of the British bar hostess, Lucie Blackman, pleaded not guilty to three new rape charges yesterday.
Prosecutors made the new charges, citing as evidence video-tapes found in his apartment. According to earlier Japanese media reports 4,800 tapes record Mr Obara assaulting about 400 women.
Mr Obara has already been charged in connection with the rape and death of Ms Blackman and death of the Australian hostess, Carita Ridgway, along with six other charges for separate rapes.