'Alice in Borderland' star under investigation for physically abusing ex-girlfriend
What's the story
Japanese actor Nijiro Murakami, best known for his role as Chishiya in the popular Netflix series Alice in Borderland, is facing an assault investigation. The 29-year-old has been accused of severely injuring his ex-girlfriend multiple times at his home in Shibuya, Tokyo, in 2024. The alleged incidents involved physical violence such as punching the face, hair pulling, and head slamming against a window.
Admission of guilt
Murakami admitted to injuring his ex-girlfriend
During a voluntary questioning session with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department earlier this year, Murakami reportedly admitted to causing injuries. He was quoted as saying, "There's no doubt that I injured her." The case has now been handed over to prosecutors who will decide on the next steps in the legal process. Murakami was living with this woman at that point, and she had complained of four separate abuse incidents between March and May 2024.
Background
More about Murakami and his career
Murakami is the son of actor Jun Murakami and singer UA (Kaori Hasegawa). He became famous for his role in Alice in Borderland, where he played a recurring character named Chishiya. The show has three seasons, with Murakami appearing in all of them. Before that, he'd appeared in Destruction Babies and The Miracles of the Namiya General Store. In 2023, he took a break from acting due to mental and physical health issues, but returned to the industry in 2025.
Upcoming project
His upcoming projects amid controversy
Murakami is also set to appear in the first episode of TV Tokyo's horror anthology series Strange - Junji Ito's Strange Stories That Keep You Up at Night. The show will premiere on July 3, with Murakami playing Koseki in the episode titled The Mansion of Phantom Pain. So far, there has been no word from TV Tokyo or the production team about how these developments will affect the series or Murakami's involvement.