TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested nine suspects who operated legal commercial sex for allegedly extorting customers after they signed service agreements.
Between April and July, Hiroki Kanayama, both 32 and living in Chuo Ward, and seven others allegedly extorting a total of about 2 million yen in cash from four male customers in their 20s to 40s who received sexual services at hotels in Tokyo.
Police have accused Yuta Nagai and of extortion and confinement. Police have not revealed whether the suspects have admitted to the charges, reports Jiji Press (Nov. 14).
According to the department, Nagai and his accomplices attracted customers to the salons, including Jungle and Usagi no Ana, that had licenses to operate as adult entertainment businesses.
However, the businesses prohibited the provision of sexual services. Instead, they were promoted as esthetic salons.
The suspects are alleged to have made customers sign agreements that stated, “If you do anything that the girl dislikes, such as touching her body, you will pay a fine of 2 million yen.” They then had the female employees offer sexual services in private rooms.
When an interested customer agreed, Nagai and his accomplices would break into the room to blackmail them. After imprisoning and assaulting the customer, they would take them to consumer credit companies to obtain funds to pay the “fine.”
In some cases, the police were called to demand payment. As well, some victims were ambushed in front of their homes.
Other times, one suspect said, “The girl is angry. She may be pregnant.” The suspect added, “This is a violation of the contract. It was written in the pledge, wasn’t it?”
According to police, there was only one person in the capital last year who called to seek assistance about a similar case. However, by the end of October this year, there had been a sharp increase, with about 170 people calling to consult about such cases.
The total amount of money in the extortion cases is believed to be about 35 million yen. Police are investigating whether the cases are related to the nine suspects.
