Japan's Iwata sack Kikuchi after sex scandal

TOKYO, June 30 (Reuters) Jubilo Iwata midfielder Naoya Kikuchi has been sacked by the J-League club after being arrested earlier this month for having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

''We need to regain the trust of the fans as quickly as possible,'' Jubilo Chairman Hiroshi Ukon was quoted as saying in Japanese media today.

''This sort of thing can never happen again. Kikuchi is 22-years-old and has a long life ahead of him. If people can forgive him he can set out on the road to rehabilitation.'' Ukon himself will take a 20 per cent pay cut for six months while similar financial sanctions were imposed on other top Jubilo officials.

Kikuchi admitted to having sex with the high school student in a car in late May, according to police reports. He was arrested after the girl reported the case to the police with a wallet containing Kikuchi's driver's license.

Kikuchi, who was a member of Japan's 2004 Athens Olympics squad, tried to hand her 10,000 yen in cash, but left his wallet in the basket of her bicycle.

REUTERS TB ND1312