Police Rehabilitation is Like a Reunion… “Tohyoko Kids” Talked about the Terrifying “Kabukicho Situation of the Youth”.

Many problems occurred in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, a place where many young people gather, known as Toyoko.

Under such circumstances, the government has intensified patrols in earnest, and although many minors were taken into custody and prevented from entering the plaza, the result was that they ended up just changing their location to the immediate vicinity.

The environment surrounding Kabukicho has changed dramatically since the beginning of this year, but what do the people who gather in Toyoko feel and think?

There are a wide variety of people in Toyoko, some underage kids, and some homeless people who sleep on the street on cardboard boxes and bring their own futons.

Despite the disorderly nature of the place, each person has a different feeling toward Touhyoko. We interviewed Mr. Yukinyan, a creator who distributes video content in Toyoko, about the current situation in Toyoko.

I am aware that I am a Toyoko kid myself. I don’t say it to other people because it’s gross to say it to myself. It doesn’t change much when the police start coming. New kids come here after seeing our Instagram and TikTok, so there is a lot of turnover among the Toyoko Kids.

Yukinyan is aware that she herself is a Toyoko kid, but she still goes to Toyoko. She says that the cycle at Toyoko is quite fast. Even if detained by a crackdown, they are out of jail in 10 to 20 days, so minors with nowhere else to go have no choice but to come here.

The environment has changed, but I feel what we are doing has not. “The environment has changed, but I feel that what they are doing has not changed. I still hear stories about how they earn 100,000 yen a day by doing papa activities, or about minors engaging in aid dating. The girl from Omiya was in sixth grade. To be honest, the police are useless.

The current situation in Toyoko is that the papa activity and underage aid-seeking are still being practiced as usual. Even elementary school students come to Toyoko after hearing about it on SNS. Especially young are those who come from Omiya.

When we asked other Toyoko kids about the changes in Kabukicho, many of them said that the changes in Kabukicho have not changed.

There are a few fierce comments here and there, such as “the police are a bunch of pussies,” “it’s a hassle and I don’t want to get involved with the police,” and “the media is just trying to stir up trouble with the to -yo yoko.

Overdose is prevalent in Kabukicho. They continue to overdose even after the news has been reported, although it has become a hot topic through various media reports. We interviewed Melonito, an influencer in the Toyoko area.

He said, “There are people out there who are ‘paki’ [meaning overdose]. And there are people selling drugs. These days, neighborhood pharmacies and the like are looking at your face and deciding whether or not to sell. If they see your face and think you are no good, they won’t sell to kids” (Mr. Melonito).

Drugs often used for overdose in Kabukicho are “Paxil,” “Cyrace,” and “Medicon. It is said that it is fashionable to pour these drugs down with Kagamizuki (shochu) and enjoy the dizzying sensation.

These drugs are sold over the counter for about 500 yen per sheet, but the tohyoko kids sell them to their relatives for 6,000 yen per sheet. Although the price is much higher than the price on the market, many Toyoko Kids still buy them. In addition to illegal activities such as prostitution and daddy-daughter activities, these problems are widespread in Toyoko.

In fact, there are many scary people in Toyoko now. There are people who run amok, so I want to protect myself and my friends. But those who have a bad home environment have no choice but to come here. It’s not for me to say, but I want to protect my friends in this place” (Mr. Melonito).

A number of Mr. Melonito’s friends have been referred to the police. When they are taken into custody, they are gathered in a room at the police station, and her friends laugh and say, “It’s like a reunion,” when they are taken into custody by the police. Among the tohyoko kids, being taken in as an inmate is a joke.

These young people with nowhere else to go gather in Toyoko. The government is taking measures to deal with the situation, but unless the fundamental problem is solved, it will end up being a performance.