Editorial

16:00 JST, October 17, 2025

Criminal groups connected via social media, information about which is difficult to ascertain, pose a significant threat to public safety. Police need to employ a new investigative framework and new methods and dedicate all efforts to crack down on them.

Called “tokuryu,” these criminal groups are anonymous and fluid, with members who repeatedly come together and disperse, making it difficult to identify key figures.

Tokuryu groups are suspected to have been involved in about 13,000 cases of special fraud between January and June, with damages totaling about ¥59.7 billion — both record highs. The groups generate funds through a range of crimes, including robberies carried out by those recruited for “dark part-time jobs” via social media and the fraudulent transfer of money for online casinos.

Police uncovered about........

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