TOKYO (TR) – The former head of an organization that supports the so-called “Toyoko Kids” in the Kabukicho red-light district has been arrested for sexually abusing a teen girl.
According to police, Masayuki Makino, the 43-year-old former director of Owl xyz, is alleged to have sexually abused the girl, 17, at a hotel in Saitma Prefecture, reports Nippon News Network (Feb. 14).
Toyoko Kids are runaways who gather in the center of the red-light district. The suspect, who met the girl in the district three years ago, had promised financial support to her and made her sign a document titled “Engagement Vow,” police said.
When questioned, Makino denied the charges. “There is a possibility that the facts are not correct,” he said.
In recent years, the Kabukicho red-light district has been attracting very young delinquents and sex workers.
Specifically, they congregate around the Toho Cinemas complex in the heart of the district. Popularized on social media as toyoko — or Toyoko Kids, a reference to the complex.
On the night of February 13, the square around the complex was closed off, with no young people in sight, according to the network.
Before it was closed, many boys and girls gathered at this location, which is where Makino met the 17-year-old girl.
At the time, Makino was the head of Owl xyz. He was involved in various activities, including the running of a cafeteria and a clean-up initiative for the district. He also provided advice to children.
Last December, he appeared at the trial of a high school student who was a Toyoko Kid and involved in an assault case. He told reporters, “I came to observe the trial to continue to support Toyoko Kids in the future.”
“Engagement Vow”
In July 2022, Makino first spoke to the girl in Kabukicho. After that, they met frequently, with him supporting her with food and transportation expenses.
In exchange for promising financial support, he engaged in a contract with her. Titled “Engagement Vow,” the document was an “agreement with Masayuki Makino about future marriage.” He gave her 20,000 yen when she signed it.
However, after the girl distanced herself from Makino in October 2023, he began to engage in stalker-like behavior. He ambushed her at her part-time job and sent her messages urging her to get back together with him.
In December last year, the incident came to light after a tip was provided that the girl may have been sexually assaulted.
“I would hate it if everything we have built up in earnest was just for the sake of [Makino’s] desires,” the former vice director of Owl xyz told the network. “I feel sad. He hated sex crimes and drugs and blamed people who committed those acts. I never thought he would do that.”
Jun Tachibana, the representative of Bond Project, an organization that provides support to girls with nowhere to go is, finds the arrest troubling.
“I hate that these kinds of incidents make it difficult for children who are in trouble or need support to seek advice, and I think it’s scary,” says Tachibana. “As a supporter, it is absolutely unacceptable to do anything to a girl or invite her out. It really shouldn’t happen, but if you think something is wrong, I want you to consult with other organizations or public institutions.”
He says that people should not hesitate to speak up.
