TOKYO - Police crackdowns are intensifying in Tokyo’s entertainment districts as more people fall victim to so-called "petty overcharging" scams, where customers lured into bars and izakayas by street solicitors end up paying unexplained charges far beyond what was promised.
On weekends, Tokyo’s nightlife areas bustle with people out for drinks or meals. But amid the crowds are street touts, whose solicitations are banned under Tokyo’s Public Nuisance Prevention Ordinance. Despite warning signs and regulations, these solicitors remain a common sight, offering seemingly cheap deals to passersby.
A recent investigation followed such a solicitor into a bar in Ikebukuro around 10 p.m. on a weekend. The offer: 120 minutes of all-you-can-drink for 1,980 yen per person, with a 420 yen table charge. However, once seated, the bill had already reached 11,830 yen. The breakdown included 1,650 yen for snacks (three people), 1,500 yen in seating charges, 1,500 yen for a weekend surcharge, and a 10% service fee—none of which had been clearly explained in advance.
When questioned, the shop initially claimed these fees were standard. However, within 45 seconds, they reversed course, removing the unexplained charges from the bill. Still, had the customer not raised concerns, the extra 4,000 yen would likely have gone uncontested.
Online reviews of the same bar show similar complaints: unexplained table charges, service fees, and inflated bills. In Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district, one group was charged an extra 6,000 yen in hidden fees. After intervention by police, the customers were allowed to pay only the amount for the food and drinks they consumed.
Another group, solicited outside a bar, was promised a 3,500 yen meal but ended up paying 15,000 yen. "We knew we were being scammed, but it’s that kind of town," one said.
Such incidents have become increasingly common. Officers from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police say complaints about discrepancies between promised and actual charges are on the rise. In Shinbashi, officers from a special safety enforcement unit recently conducted surprise patrols. Within minutes, they detained a man for solicitation under the ordinance.
"Going with a solicitor carries risks," said one officer. "Violators can face fines of up to 500,000 yen or even arrest." Many of those arrested admit financial hardship as the motive. One man said he had taken the job because he couldn’t make ends meet through part-time work alone.
As the last trains depart and the night deepens, another problem emerges—solicitations by foreign nationals. In one case in Tokyo’s Akabane area, drunken men were forcibly taken to bars by foreign women and later discovered high charges had been made to their credit cards. The police arrested 17 people, including Chinese nationals, and re-arrested two women for drugging customers and stealing a total of 1.3 million yen via forced ATM withdrawals.
In Shinbashi, complaints involving foreign solicitors topped 400 cases last year, with damages exceeding 200 million yen. In a recent case, a Chinese woman was arrested after persistently attempting to lure a man to a bar even after he said no. When taken into custody, she admitted she knew solicitation was illegal but believed it was acceptable as long as she wasn’t aggressive.
Police continue to warn the public not to follow street solicitors, as doing so significantly increases the risk of falling victim to scams.
Source: FNN
