Crime
'Luffy'Japan robberies head suspected to be behind Manila fraud ring
The suspected "Luffy" mastermind and three others believed to be behind a string of Japan robberies and now in detention in the Philippines appear to be senior members of a fraud group from which 36 members were detained in the country in 2019, an investigative source said Saturday. Police have… Read
Sickle-wielding attacker safely fended off by victim’s umbrella in Aomori
Carrying around an umbrella can be a nuisance at times. But when it is needed who hasn’t held one and wondered if it could be used as an impromptu Jackie-Chan-style weapon should the need arise? Luckily, such a need rarely does arise so most of us will never know. But… Read
Dentsu officials admit to Tokyo Olympic test event bid rigging
Several officials of Japanese ad giant Dentsu Inc have admitted to collusion over bid rigging for contracts related to test events for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, a source familiar with the matter say. The officials admitted to the wrongdoing during voluntary questioning with prosecutors, while maintaining they were… Read
Japan online watchdog gets power to request removal of harmful content sites
Japan's internet watchdog can request instructional posts related to murder, guns and explosives be removed from March, police said, as authorities respond to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's killer using information found online to build weapons. The National Police Agency said by adding to the types of content that can… Read
22-year-old man goes on trial for murder of 85-year-old woman in Miyagi
A 22-year-old man went on trial Friday over the murder of an 85-year-old woman at her home in Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, in 2021. According to the indictment read out in the opening session at the Matsushima District Court, Daiko Aizawa, a part-time bar worker, is accused of killing Kaneko Ono… Read
Why do people spend so long in jail without going to trial in Japan?
Japan is known for its criminal suspects spending very long periods of time in detention before they ever set foot in a courtroom, a fact that was made particularly famous by the Carlos Ghosn case a few years ago. This is because of an aspect in Japanese law where people can be… Read
Alleged 'Luffy' ringleader of robberies is man already detained in Manila
The alleged ringleader of a string of robberies across Japan, known to have gone by the name of "Luffy," is believed to have remotely given instructions to those carrying out the break-ins via an encrypted messaging app from an immigration facility in Manila, where he is being held. Philippine Justice… Read
Mother gets 6 1/2 years in prison over death of 3-month-old daughter
The Saitama District Court has sentenced a 30-year-old woman to 6 1/2 years in prison after she was found guilty of neglecting her 3-month-old daughter and not seeking medical attention, causing her death in September 2020, in Misato, Saitama Prefecture. Azusa Kanai and her husband Yuki Kanai, 31, were arrested… Read
Junior high school principal arrested for soliciting underage girl for sex
A 60-year-old principal of a junior high school in the northwest of Tokyo was arrested Thursday on suspicion of soliciting an underage girl for sex last year, local police said. Hirokazu Tanaka is suspected of violating the country's child prostitution and pornography prohibition laws after promising to pay cash to… Read
8 arrested in case linked to 'Luffy' group robberies across Japan
Eight men have been arrested in connection with an October robbery in the suburban Tokyo city of Inagi, police said Thursday, as officers attempt to track down the "Luffy" ringleader suspected to be behind a spate of burglaries across the country. Japan has been rocked by the robberies, which began… Read
