American football: Univ. head apologizes over dangerous hit by player

The head of a private university in Tokyo apologized Friday over its American football player who committed a dangerous tackle against an opponent, saying the school feels responsible for the foul play.

A day after reiterating its claim that its coaches did not instruct the foul, Nihon University President Kichibee Otsuka told a press conference the university played a role in the foul play by Taisuke Miyagawa during the May 6 game against Kwansei Gakuin University.

"As a university, we have driven him into the corner. We feel responsible for it," Otsuka said, adding that the university will work to prevent such incidents among all sports teams within its jurisdiction.

With footage of the incident going viral and criticism growing nationwide, Otsuka also asked the public not to criticize or disrupt the university's students' studies.(Nihon Univ. President Kichibee Otsuka)

The apology came after the university re-submitted papers on Thursday to Kwansei Gakuin University in Hyogo Prefecture to explain why the tackle occurred, while the accounts of the player and his coaches remain at odds.

On Tuesday, 20-year-old Miyagawa explained at a press conference he tackled the opponent from behind long after he released the ball after being instructed by Nihon University's then American football team head coach Masato Uchida and assistant coach Tsutomu Inoue to injure the Kwansei Gakuin quarterback.

At a press conference the following day, Uchida denied giving such an instruction and said Miyagawa's dangerous action during the game was the result of miscommunication.