Simultaneous Crackdown in Five Cities
Under the direction of the National Police Agency, five police forces—the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, the Osaka, Aichi, and Fukuoka prefectural police, and the Hokkaido Prefectural Police—conducted simultaneous searches of illegal scouting groups within their respective jurisdictions on March 13, 2024. A total of 25 leaders, mid-level managers, and field scouts were arrested on suspicion of violating the Employment Security Act (operating a paid job-placement business without a license).
The Reality of the Nationwide Network
The investigation revealed that multiple illegal scouting groups maintained "cooperative" or "subcontracting" relationships, effectively forming a nationwide network. Cases of "long-distance placement"—in which a woman was scouted in one city and sent to a commercial sex establishment in another—were also confirmed.
Among the groups, "information on women" was bought and sold, and investigative information was shared, strengthening the operation's organized-crime character.
Connection to "Natural"
Some of the 25 people arrested were found to have had contact with the "Natural" group, which was later prosecuted. Authorities continued an integrated investigation targeting multiple scouting groups, including "Natural."
This article was compiled based on publicly available information and interviews with investigative sources.