Five More Arrested in Crackdown Against Illegal Scouting

Jan 18, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - In a case where executives of Japan's largest scout group, centered in Shinjuku's Kabukicho district, were arrested and indicted for seriously injuring a male member, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested five additional members on suspicion of confinement and indecent assault resulting in injury.

According to the Metropolitan Police, in February of last year, a 30-year-old male member of the scout group "Natural," who had violated the group's rules, was confined to an apartment room and assaulted, resulting in injuries that took six months to heal. The suspects are under suspicion of confinement and indecent assault resulting in injury.

Executives of the group have already been arrested and indicted in relation to this case, and while the Metropolitan Police were investigating other members, five individuals voluntarily handed themselves in at a police station on Wednesday and were arrested.

This group is considered to be the largest domestic scout group in Tokyo, with over 1,000 members, and is suspected of illegally scouting women in entertainment districts across the country, primarily in Kabukicho, and introducing them to sex establishments, from which they receive a portion of the earnings.

The Metropolitan Police are also investigating the possibility that these revenues could be a source of funds for organized crime groups, and are working to clarify the actual situation, including the flow of money. It is reported that all five individuals are maintaining their silence.

Source: NHK

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