New Criminal Groups in Japan Recruit Teens Online: What is Tokuryū.

A group of anonymous online gangsters deceives teenagers by offering them jobs just to make them commit crimes. Digital criminals recruit young people through social media and use them to carry out various illegal activities, from theft to child trafficking.This alarming trend, known as Tokuryū in Japan, exploits the technological and naive nature of young people. Traditional criminal syndicates, such as the Yakuza, are experiencing a decline in membership, while freelance criminal activities using this method have gained popularity in Japan.'An alarming phenomenon is ongoing in Japan, where cybercriminals exploit social media users for committing criminal acts.'These criminals use a tactic called yami-baito, or 'shadow remote work', to recruit individuals looking for quick money. The police are struggling to combat this new generation of informal criminals operating independently of traditional criminal organizations.After collecting personal information from job candidates, these criminals use it for blackmail to force them into committing crimes. In some cases, they even threaten the families of those recruited if they refuse to cooperate.'It's difficult for young people to escape this trap if they provide personal data, such as their ID,' said organized crime expert in Japan, Martina Baradel.Criminals lure young people into illegal activities under false pretenses, manipulating them through intimidation and coercion. This method, known as Tokuryū, poses a challenge for law enforcement due to its decentralized structure and the use of digital platforms.Compared to the Yakuza, which has a hierarchical and structured organization, Tokuryū groups are decentralized, making it difficult to identify and apprehend the organizers. The lack of experience in handling digital organized crime complicates police efforts to halt these criminal activities.Last year, over 10,000 suspects related to Tokuryū were arrested in Japan. One notable case involved a 22-year-old man in a theft who later realized he was part of a criminal group after being blackmailed by the gang leader.'Here lies the danger of these groups — the use of inexperienced individuals who may act unpredictably,' Baradel said.The rise of Tokuryū groups has led to an increase in crimes such as theft, child trafficking, and other illegal activities throughout Japan. While law enforcement agencies strive to disrupt these criminal networks, they face challenges due to the constantly evolving landscape of digital crime.Japan is facing an issue of social media abuse and deception of young people by using them to commit crimes. Such activities are difficult for law enforcement to combat due to their decentralized structure and the use of digital platforms. Despite attempts to stop these criminal networks, the challenges in this regard are increasing due to the ongoing changes in the realm of digital crime.