Latest news with #TokyoMetropolitanPoliceDepartment
SoraNews24
6 days ago
- SoraNews24
Tokyo prostitution ring members who targeted foreigners arrested
In possibly related incident, Tokyo Metropolitan Police received complaint from foreigner that 'I paid the woman the money, but didn't get to have sex.' On Thursday, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department announced that they have arrested a group of four women on charges of prostitution in the city's Kabukicho bar district. As there's been a troubling increase in brazen street prostitution in this part of the city in recent years, with a corresponding increase in attention from law enforcement, the arrests themselves aren't so shocking, but the women's methodology, and certain complaints the police have been receiving, are pretty startling. One of the four women, all of whom have admitted to the prostitution charges against them, has been identified as a sort of de-facto leader of the group, organizing a network with more than two dozen members who would share text messages and photos alerting each other to police patrols in the area. This wasn't their only strategy for avoiding arrest, however, as during questioning one of the woman told investigators: 'If we were [having sex with] foreigners, we figured there was no way they'd be undercover police officers and so we wouldn't get caught.' The details of exactly how the group, who used phone translation apps to negotiate terms with foreign customers, were identified by police as prostitutes hasn't been made public. The woman's past-tense framing that they 'thought' they'd be able to weed out plainclothes cops by focusing on foreigners makes one wonder if that eventually turned out to be not as safe a ploy as they'd expected. While foreign nationals cannot become police officers in Japan, there's no ethnicity requirement, meaning that non-ethnically Japanese citizens of Japan, including nationalized citizens who immigrated to the country and thus may still look like 'foreigners,' could theoretically be employed for sting operations against individuals offering illegal services to foreign tourists. On the other hand, it's possible that the woman's use of 'thought' is just a reflection that, with the quartet under arrest for prostitution, they're not currently plying their trade, putting all their related methods in the past. The group didn't completely ignore potential Japanese clients either, though in such cases they targeted older men, again under the logic that they were less likely to be undercover police officers. ▼ Probably not a cop. As such, it's hard to say whether or not there was non-ethnically Japanese personnel working on the side of the law making the arrests. However, the police do know that there have been instances of foreigners attempting to purchase the services of prostitutes in Tokyo, and by their own admission. Between October of 2024 and June of 2025, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police say that they have received 11 reports from foreigners with complaints such as 'I paid [a woman] the money, but was unable to have sex with her,' or 'A woman stole my money at a hotel.' Investigators are currently looking into whether the four women were involved in any of those instances, though in the context of seeing if they were involved in additional cases of illegal prostitution, not for charges of fraudulent failure to render services. This is a good time to take a moment and remember that while Japan has a wide variety of legal hostess bars, house-call erotic massage companies, and other entertainment services specializing in sexual titillation, prostitution, in the sense of exchanging money for sexual intercourse, is against the law. Somewhat confusingly, Japan's Anti-Prostitution Law only has specified penalties for those selling sex, and no codified punishment for those purchasing it, but both parties involved in the transaction are technically breaking the law. With prostitution concerns on the rise throughout Japanese society, and the recent arrests bringing a new wave of attention to undesirable conduct by foreign tourists, it wouldn't be surprising if police forces stop letting johns off the hook and start putting the cuffs on them too, since even if their case never makes it to trial because there's no punishment to render, the Japanese legal system can still make getting arrested very unpleasant. Source: Tokyo Shimbun, NHK News Web, Bengoshi JP News Top image: Pakutaso Insert images: Pakutaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Japan Today
7 days ago
- Japan Today
4 women arrested in Tokyo's Kabukicho district for soliciting foreign tourists for prostitution
Police in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward have arrested four women in their 20s on suspicion of soliciting foreign tourists for the purpose of prostitution. The four women were arrested earlier this week around Okubo Park in Kabukicho, police said Thursday. The park has become a popular spot for women offering sex services to foreign tourists since 2023 after a number of YouTube videos went viral. Police said 75 women have been arrested around the park between January and June of this year, Sankei Shimbun reported. This is more than double the number arrested during the same period last year. One of the four women arrested this week, Miyu Aoyagi, 20, told police she had earned about 110 million yen since July 2023. Aoyagi was quoted by police as saying, "I did it only with foreigners and elderly men who were definitely not plainclothes police officers.' According to police, in order to avoid detection, Aoyagi created a social networking site (SNS) chatroom for women waiting for customers and shared information about police patrols and photos of investigators. A total of 26 women participated in the group, negotiating the price for their 'services' with foreigners through a translation app. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said it is increasing patrols in the area and is urging foreign tourists to be careful. Police said there have been a growing number of complaints from local residents and passersby about the women who hang out in Okubo Park. The worsening public safety is also a problem at the park, with curious onlookers getting into trouble with the women, police said. © Japan Today
Japan Today
29-06-2025
- Japan Today
Police raid real casino in Tokyo where people gambled with online casinos
By SoraNews24 On the evening of June 25, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department raided Rizin, not the mixed martial arts association but what is known as a 'brick-and-mortar online casino' that was operating in the Kabukicho area of Tokyo. Let's start by unraveling what a brick-and-mortar online casino is. First, online casinos are prohibited in Japan, as is partaking in online casinos that operate overseas. That certainly doesn't stop people with the gambling bug from trying, but there are a lot of challenges, especially for the large elderly population in Japan, such as navigating websites in other languages and setting up dodgy payment systems. o, some rackets have been set up to help facilitate these hurdles. For example, a brick-and-mortar online casino can help set up accounts for their clients and accept cash directly from them to be converted into online currency. Despite being a criminal enterprise, gamblers can get a sense of security in dealing with people directly and even enjoy the social aspect of being among others, though it's probably still a far cry from The Stardust in the '70s. Anyway, Rizin operated secretly and only let in trusted customers by identifying their faces on security cameras and buzzing them in through double iron doors. At the time of the raid, five employees and seven customers with ages ranging from their 20s to 80s were arrested and police say they've found data on over 5,000 other people on the roughly 20 computers they seized. ▼ A news report on the bust Rizin was discovered by authorities during their investigation of Shizuku Ida, a 27-year-old woman charged with the romance fraud of a 29-year-old man worth about 3.7 million yen last year. She was said to have spent about 80 million yen at Rizin. Police also say that Rizin was raking in millions of yen a day, but the investigation is still ongoing. All the employees admitted to the charges against them. In online comments, many people were confused by both the existence of brick-and-mortar online casinos and why this one decided to call itself Rizin. 'A brick-and-mortar what?' 'The police are just helping the pachinko parlors with this.' 'Even if he gets arrested, he can just use all the money he made to open another one and keep it going for as long as he wants.' 'So, is this related to the fighting league?' 'I don't really get brick-and-mortar online casinos.' 'I thought about using one but figured my own phone would be safer. Guess I was right.' 'I think Japan should just legalize them and regulate them properly so we don't lose money to other countries.' Japan does seem to be heading down that path with an integrated resort and casino already under construction next to the site of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo. It doesn't seem outlandish to assume legalized online betting might be in the future as well. Whether this will ultimately be to Japan's benefit or detriment is the biggest gamble of them all. Source: NHK, YouTube/TBS NEWS DIG Powered by JNN Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- 23 people arrested in Aichi for operating and using illegal casino during coronavirus lockdown -- Man who gambled entire Japanese town's COVID relief money arrested -- Over half a million uncensored porn DVDs seized by Tokyo police in Japan's largest raid ever External Link © SoraNews24
SoraNews24
28-06-2025
- Business
- SoraNews24
Police raid real casino in Tokyo where people gambled with online casinos
Yo dawg, I heard you like casinos. On the evening of 25 June, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department raided Rizin, not the mixed martial arts association but what is known as a 'brick-and-mortar online casino' that was operating in the Kabukicho area of Tokyo. Let's start by unraveling what a brick-and-mortar online casino is. First, online casinos are prohibited in Japan, as is partaking in online casinos that operate overseas. That certainly doesn't stop people with the gambling bug from trying, but there are a lot of challenges, especially for the large elderly population in Japan, such as navigating websites in other languages and setting up dodgy payment systems. ▼ 'Crypto-what-now? On Telegram? I haven't used one of those since '42!' So, some rackets have been set up to help facilitate these hurdles. For example, a brick-and-mortar online casino can help set up accounts for their clients and accept cash directly from them to be converted into online currency. Despite being a criminal enterprise, gamblers can get a sense of security in dealing with people directly and even enjoy the social aspect of being among others, though it's probably still a far cry from The Stardust in the '70s. Anyway, Rizin operated secretly and only let in trusted customers by identifying their faces on security cameras and buzzing them in through double iron doors. At the time of the raid, five employees and seven customers with ages ranging from their 20s to 80s were arrested and police say they've found data on over 5,000 other people on the roughly 20 computers they seized. ▼ A news report on the bust Rizin was discovered by authorities during their investigation of Shizuku Ida, a 27-year-old woman charged with the romance fraud of a 29-year-old man worth about 3.7 million yen ($25,000) last year. She was said to have spent about 80 million yen at Rizin. Police also say that Rizin was raking in millions of yen a day, but the investigation is still ongoing. All the employees admitted to the charges against them. In online comments, many people were confused by both the existence of brick-and-mortar online casinos and why this one decided to call itself Rizin. 'A brick-and-mortar what?' 'The police are just helping the pachinko parlors with this.' 'Even if he gets arrested, he can just use all the money he made to open another one and keep it going for as long as he wants.' 'So, is this related to the fighting league?' 'I don't really get brick-and-mortar online casinos.' 'I thought about using one but figured my own phone would be safer. Guess I was right.' 'I think Japan should just legalize them and regulate them properly so we don't lose money to other countries.' Japan does seem to be heading down that path with an integrated resort and casino already under construction next to the site of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo. It doesn't seem outlandish to assume legalized online betting might be in the future as well. Whether this will ultimately be to Japan's benefit or detriment is the biggest gamble of them all. Source: NHK, YouTube/TBS NEWS DIG Powered by JNN Featured image: Pakutaso Insert image: Pakutaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Japan Forward
27-06-2025
- Health
- Japan Forward
The Only Woman in Tokyo's Special Rescue Team
Japanese women are making a meaningful impact around the world. If they were ever invisible, certainly they are not now. What inspired them to step forward into their roles today? This time, JAPAN Forward set out to feature Akane Mori, the only woman in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Special Rescue Team, for our series " Groundbreakers ." In the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department established the Special Rescue Team. It is the first unit in Japanese police history dedicated exclusively to rescue and relief operations. Among its members today is a young trailblazer: the only female officer on the team. Senior Police Officer Akane Mori, 30, joined the Special Rescue Team in 2023 after gaining experience in the riot police and other units. Now, she responds to mountain accidents and other emergencies. She trains rigorously every day with the goal of becoming a specialist in life-saving operations. At the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's East Japan Disaster Security Training Facility in Tachikawa City, Sergeant Mori participated in a landslide rescue drill. Gently speaking to a mock casualty trapped beneath wooden debris, she calmly assessed the situation. "Hang in there. You'll be out soon," she said, as she evaluated the risk of crush syndrome — a potentially fatal condition caused by toxins entering the bloodstream when pressure is suddenly released. Mori attached an automated external defibrillator (AED) to monitor the casualty's vital signs and prepared for immediate CPR. Only then did she carefully remove the debris and place the individual on a stretcher for evacuation. Mori's path to the Special Rescue Team began with a moment that changed many lives: the Great East Japan Earthquake. As a high school freshman, she watched news footage of police officers rescuing earthquake victims by helicopter. "I remember thinking, 'I want to be out there too, helping as part of the team,'" she recalls. Determined to make that vision a reality, she pursued a paramedic license while in university. She learned life-saving techniques and how to treat injuries and illness — skills that would set her apart in a competitive field. Mori is currently the only woman among roughly 30 team members. At around 155 cm (5.08 ft) tall, she's notably smaller than her male colleagues. But she sees her presence as an asset, not a limitation. Her calm, gentle demeanor helps soothe victims in high-stress situations. She also places great importance on communication, especially during training. To keep pace with the physical demands of the job, she trains hard every day, even on her days off. She has played soccer since elementary school and continues playing on a coed team to build stamina and maintain fitness. Off the field, she enjoys baking as a way to unwind. "The work is physically and mentally tough, but that's exactly why it's worth doing. In a disaster, you get to be a source of strength for someone who needs help," she says. "If someone out there dreams of joining, I hope they never give up." Senior Police Officer Mori works on building stamina through soccer. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police's Special Rescue Team was launched on September 1, 2012, under the Disaster Response Division. Members are licensed to operate heavy machinery, boats, and other equipment. They undergo constant training to handle a broad range of emergencies, from natural disasters to mountain and water rescues. The team has responded not only in Tokyo but across Japan. Their missions include the 2014 Mount Ontake eruption, the 2018 Western Japan floods, and the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake. Internationally, they contributed to the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake response as part of Japan's emergency aid team. Senior Police Officer Akane Mori of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Special Rescue Team descends using a rope from the training tower. May 2025, Tachikawa City, Tokyo. (©Sankei by Yuko Ogata) Since 2018, the team has also welcomed trainees from police departments nationwide. About 40 officers have taken part so far, building connections across regions and sharing techniques. "It's become a platform for cooperation beyond regional borders," says team leader Kenji Sugawara, 50. Efforts to promote gender diversity in the police force are gaining momentum. According to the 2024 Police White Paper, 1,810 women were newly hired in 2023, making up 24.7% of new recruits. The proportion of female officers in prefectural forces has grown from 8.1% in 2015 to 11.7% in 2024. Leadership representation is also improving. In 2015, just 349 women held the rank of inspector or higher. As of 2024, that number has more than doubled to 861. Sergeant Mori is a symbol of this progress — proof that with skill, determination, and heart, barriers can be broken and more lives can be saved. ( Read the article in Japanese . ) Author: Yuko Ogata, The Sankei Shimbun
