TOKYO (TR) – The former representative director of a lucrative used clothing company has been arrested by Tokyo prosecutors for allegedly dodging nearly 800 million yen in taxes, reports NHK (July 10).
Daisuke Fujiwara, 42, a co-founder and former CEO of the Shinagawa Ward-based secondhand apparel buyer and retailer Staygold, was taken into custody by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Squad on suspicion of violating the Income Tax Law.
According to investigators, Fujiwara concealed a staggering 5.25 billion yen in personal income generated from the sale of his company shares over a two-year period ending in 2023. By hiding the windfall, he allegedly evaded approximately 784 million yen in taxes.
Launched in 2014
Sources reveal that Fujiwara helped launch Staygold in 2014. The company rapidly expanded its footprint, opening a string of shops in bustling downtown commercial districts. This aggressive growth caused the value of his founding shares to skyrocket before he formally stepped down from his executive role in 2022.
Prosecutors suspect that when Fujiwara finally cashed out his lucrative shares, he deliberately routed the profits through an “anonymous partnership” (tokumei kumiai)—a specialized fund structure that obscures the identities of its investors—in a calculated bid to keep the income hidden from tax authorities.
The special investigative squad has declined to disclose whether Fujiwara admits to the allegations.
