Tokyo Police Arrest Head of Major Sex Worker Scouting Group

Tokyo, Jan. 27 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo police have arrested the 40-year-old leader of Natural, one of the largest illegal sex worker scouting groups in Japan, for allegedly making a payment to gangsters in 2023.

Hiroaki Obata, arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department on Monday, is suspected of providing gang members with 600,000 yen in cash through subordinates on July 24, 2023, in exchange for tolerating Natural scouting women mainly on streets of the Udagawacho district in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward.

He allegedly violated a Tokyo metropolitan government ordinance on the fight against organized crime groups. Obata had been publicly wanted.

Obata has remained silent in police questioning following his arrest.

Details of Natural, one of "tokuryu" loosely organized crime groups comprising anonymous members, have remained unknown for a long period partly because the group has been taking thorough measures against police.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]