Mens’ underground idol “indecently committed an act against a female high school student”.

I wanted to make sales by captivating high school girls.

The arrested man reportedly stated this in response to police investigations.

On January 31, the Juvenile Development Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrest of two men for violating the Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance on the Healthy Development of Youth. The suspects are Tanabe Ryoya (25, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo), who performs under the name “Tsubasa” in the idol group “Soten” and Honda Koichiro (22, Chofu City), aka “Iori” in “Shigure. The two suspects were alleged to have committed indecent acts against underage girls at a “men’s underground idol club” (hereinafter referred to as “men’s underground”), where they hold small live performances and events.

Unlike regular idols, “men-underground” idols are increasingly popular, especially among junior high and high school girls, because of the opportunity to talk directly with them and the closeness to them. However, the cost is high for the girls. For example, a photo session where you can take pictures with the members using a “Cheki” instant camera requires, in some cases, about 10 reward tickets, which can be obtained by purchasing goods for about 1,500 yen. Buying 10 pieces of merchandise costs 15,000 yen.

In addition, favors are sometimes taken against you and you may be asked to perform sexual acts. There have also been cases in which high school girls are sweet-talked into spending money at events and asked to buy expensive items. Some high school girls who do not have the financial resources are said to be earning money by dating or “papa katsu” (father’s activities),” said a reporter from the society department of a national newspaper.

Trouble Triples in One Year

As the popularity of “Men Underground” grew, so did the number of troubles. According to the Juvenile Development Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, the number of consultations regarding “men-underground” has increased from about 15 in 2009 to about 50 in 2010, more than tripling the number of consultations. Both of the arrested suspects were also apparently demanding large sums of money from the girls.

In September 2008, Tanabe met Ms. A, then a first-year high school student, while handing out flyers on a street in Shibuya; the two became friends, and Ms. A began attending events at which Tanabe appeared. In March 2009, Tanabe confessed to Ms. A that he wanted to spend happy times together and that he would go out with her, and in March 2009, he engaged in indecent acts with Ms. A at a hotel in Shibuya Ward.

Soon after, Ms. A’s parents consulted the police, and the incident was discovered. Ms. A paid the Tanabe suspect approximately 3,000,000 yen in the name of ‘photo shooting fees.

On the other hand, Honda’s M.O. is …….

He repeatedly committed indecent acts against Ms. B, who was in her third year of high school, at a concept café in Shinjuku Ward, where she worked as an “idol’s egg. Four times in a semi-private room called the ‘VIP room.

The suspect told Ms. B that she could become an idol if she spent more money, and made her contribute about 500,000 yen. When questioned by the police, Mr. Honda admitted to the crime, saying that he wanted to make sales by making her a prisoner of war.

There is no end to the number of cases like Mr. A’s and Mr. B’s, in which people are taken for one million yen. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has been sending out fliers to schools in Tokyo asking, “Are you sure about your ‘guessing game’? to schools in Tokyo to warn against “men-underground” activities.