Tokyo hopeful's campaign team accused of election law violation
A university professor and a civic group separately filed a criminal complaint with the Metropolitan Police Department, which were both accepted on Tuesday.
The complaint alleges that Ishimaru's election team paid the company a total of ¥977,350 to livestream a gathering on YouTube that was held on July 5 last year — two days before the election — with the money partly used to cover labor costs.
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Facing stagnant wages and a soaring cost of living, many feel there is little hope for financial or personal advancement at home. This anxiety is reflected in the popular hashtag #KaburAjaDulu ('just escape for now'), which encapsulates the sentiment that any opportunity abroad, no matter how vague or risky, is better than staying. The region's visa-free travel policies have only made this easier. In this environment, traffickers find fertile ground to exploit dreams of a better life. And yet, when things go wrong – as they often do – victims are finding it harder to turn to the state for help. More often than not, it is family, friends, and social media that become the first line of defense. In one case, a young Indonesian woman trapped in Myanmar was able to escape after secretly recording videos of her captivity and sending them to a friend. In desperation, that friend then uploaded the footage online. The resulting outcry helped trigger a rescue effort. Others, such as a group of victims in the Philippines, avoided contacting the Indonesian embassy altogether. Instead, they paid their way out and arranged their own return home, leaving authorities with no details, no oversight, and no chance to act. This avoidance of formal channels stems from real fears. Many victims worry that seeking help from authorities will lead to punishment, not protection – particularly when they lack proper work documentation or have been forced into illegal activities like online fraud. Many worry that authorities will see them as perpetrators rather than victims. Structural barriers add to this fear. Victims often lack the documents required to file complaints. They may not know how to access assistance, or they may be trapped in remote areas with no safe path to government offices. Efforts to report trafficking are further complicated in places like Myanmar and Cambodia, where syndicates often operate with the knowledge – or even the support – of local authorities or militia groups. In such contexts, speaking out can be life-threatening. This is where community-based protection becomes critical. Traffickers frequently recruit through people social ties – friends, neighbors, even relatives – who use trust and familiarity to manipulate potential victims. Countering this requires local knowledge, awareness, and resilience. Indonesia's legal framework inherently recognizes this. Articles 60 and 61 of the 2007 Law on the Eradication of Trafficking in Persons call for community involvement in identifying, reporting, and responding to trafficking. Crucially, they require the government to equip local communities with the tools and access needed to act. 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Meanwhile, there is a glaring gap in support for male victims, despite men and boys becoming increasingly represented among trafficking survivors. If Indonesia is serious about tackling human trafficking, it must move beyond ad-hoc responses. Community involvement needs to be placed at the center of national policy, provided with the necessary resources, and integrated them into the broader protection ecosystem.
