Society

American eikaiwa teacher among 4 nabbed for â€˜international marriage fraudâ€™

Aug 07 (tokyoreporter.com) - Shizuoka Prefectural Police have arrested four persons, including an American English teacher, for allegedly carrying out a ruse known as â€œinternational romance fraud,â€ reports NHK (Aug. 4).

According to the Hamamatsu-Higashi Police Station, two of the suspects are teacher Mike Taro Otani, 42, who works at an eikaiwa (English school), and Miharu Hirose, 38, a naturalized Japanese formerly a national of New Zealand, both of whom live in Tokyo.

The pair, along with two male Nigerians living in Saitama Prefecture, including Elvis Sochima, 22, are alleged to have worked together to pose as American service personnel on Facebook in swindling male and female Japanese nationals seeking relationships.

The suspects are believed to have defrauded an unspecified number of victims out of a total of 100 million yen after requesting that they pay various expenses, including for travel.

Police have specifically accused Hirose and Otani of fraudulently opening bank accounts to receive the swindled funds from the victims. Police suspect the pair received about 10 million yen from five male and female victims.

Meanwhile, police have accused the Nigerian suspects of swindling an unspecified number of persons out of 2 million yen.

Police did not reveal whether the suspects admit to the allegations.

Typhoon No. 24 (Fung-shen) Moves Toward Vietnam, Heavy Rain Forecast For Japan

Typhoon No. 24 (Fung-shen) is strengthening over the South China Sea and is expected to make landfall in Vietnam later this week, according to forecasts. Satellite images on October 20th show extensive cloud coverage over the central South China Sea. After passing over the Philippines, Fung-shen temporarily weakened but is projected to intensify again as it continues westward through Tuesday.

Real-Life Water Police: Protecting Tokyo’s Seas and Rivers

Tokyo’s seas and rivers, once considered lawless backwaters beyond the reach of regular policing, are now under constant watch by a dedicated force known as the “water police,” specialists who patrol the capital’s waterways, chase down smugglers, stop reckless jet ski riders, and carry out dramatic rescue missions to save lives.

Tourist Graffiti Threatens Kyoto’s Iconic Bamboo Forest

Kyoto’s world-famous Arashiyama district, a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, is facing a growing problem of graffiti etched into the bamboo along its iconic “Bamboo Grove Path,” with more than 350 stalks now damaged — a practice that experts warn could eventually cause bamboo to weaken, fall, and even injure visitors.

Japanese Streaming Services Struggle Against Netflix

Japan’s streaming industry is under growing pressure as foreign giants tighten their grip on the domestic market, with Netflix’s latest move to secure exclusive broadcast rights in Japan for every game of the World Baseball Classic next March highlighting the widening gap.

Japan Tightens Rules on Foreign Business Visas

Investigators from the Immigration Services Agency conducted on-site inspections in Osaka on October 14th amid a surge in so-called 'paper companies' created by foreign nationals seeking residency.

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