OSAKA - A string of so-called “honey trap” cases is drawing attention across Japan as schemes once limited to extortion have become increasingly violent, involving physical assaults and life-threatening intimidation.
One such incident occurred in April in Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture, where five suspects, including Keigo Oya, were arrested on suspicion of robbery resulting in injury. Police say the suspects lured a man in his twenties through social media to a park at night, where he was attacked by several men who suddenly emerged from the shadows. The victim suffered a broken nose and other serious injuries before being forced into a car and driven around for about an hour. He was later abandoned at a crematorium in the mountains, roughly five kilometers away, with his smartphone smashed to prevent him from calling for help. Injured and terrified, he eventually reached a nearby hospital, where the crime came to light.
Investigators say Oya’s wife, Erina, acted as the bait in the scheme, befriending the victim online before meeting him in the park. Images of the couple smiling happily at their wedding sharply contrast with their alleged involvement in a brutal crime. According to police, the suspects threatened the victim, saying things like “If you resist, we’ll kill you” and even “Shall we dump him in the dam?” His mother later told reporters that her son truly believed he would be killed. “He thought he wouldn’t survive the night,” she said, describing the “fear of death” that still haunts the family. “Not only his body but his heart was scarred. Our everyday life was stolen from us.”
The case has highlighted how honey traps—once primarily financial scams—are becoming more vicious. Traditionally, the tactic involves a woman seducing a man before an accomplice appears, posing as a husband or partner, and extorting money. In one past case, a student who met a woman through a dating site was threatened by a man claiming to be her husband, who demanded 2 million yen. Unable to pay, the student was photographed and blackmailed, leaving him traumatized.
Experts note that the rise of matching apps and social media has lowered barriers to such crimes, drawing in younger perpetrators. Last month in Kyoto, two men and a high school girl were arrested for attempting to extort money from a university student using this method. Last year in Osaka, a university student who had been threatened after a honey trap involving middle school students fell from a building and died.
Legal specialists warn that while some victims hesitate to contact police out of shame, honey trap cases can easily escalate into serious injury or death. “Immediate reporting to authorities is crucial,” one lawyer stressed. To avoid danger, experts recommend arranging video calls before meeting strangers, and ensuring that first encounters take place in public, well-lit areas.
What was once a familiar but relatively low-level scam has now evolved into a crime that places victims in genuine mortal danger, raising alarm over how fast and how close to home these threats have become.
Source: KTV NEWS
