The Kanagawa Prefectural Police said they have arrested a 26-year-old former professional soccer player on suspicion of intruding into a woman's apartment and raping her.

Sho Kamimura of Warabi, Saitama Prefecture, an employee of a medical corporation, allegedly got into a 22-year-old woman's apartment in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, on March 31 last year at around 2:30 a.m., hit her in the face and threatened to kill her unless she remained quiet, according to police. He has owned up to the charges, media reports said.

Kamimura, who had played for Mito Hollyhock, a J2 soccer team based in Ibaraki Prefecture, retired from J3 Machida Zelvia in Tokyo in January 2014.

The police said they arrested Kamimura on Thursday based on security camera footage and other information. The police have investigated around 10 similar cases in the area over several years and are looking into whether Kamimura was involved.