Illegal Scout Group Natural Members Reveal Truth About Their Violent Leader

In the March 21 issue, FRIDAY revealed details about the internal structure of Natural, an organization run like a major corporation, and the black market apps they use. While the outline of this massive group, which made 5 billion yen in sales last year alone, was starting to come into view, many mysteries remained — including the true identities of the top executives and the control structure managing its 2,000 members.

As we pushed forward in trying to contact current members familiar with the inner workings, progress proved extremely difficult. The organization already had tight information control, and with the police tightening their net around scout groups recently, everyone we approached was on high alert. Amid these challenges, we finally managed to meet a current member, Saeki (pseudonym), who has been with the organization for several years, through a lead we obtained. (Unless otherwise noted, all quotations hereafter are from Saeki.)

For the first part, see: “[Full Text Release] Wanted if You Leave Current Members Reveal the ‘Fear-Based Control’ of the Illegal Scout Group ‘Natural.’”

The chairman is famous as a violent enforcer

What is the current status of the authorities’ investigation? In fact, on January 27 of this year, an investigative team led by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Organized Crime Countermeasures Division moved to carry out a large-scale raid, aiming to arrest Natural’s top executives. They searched dozens of related locations, and investigators stormed an apartment where a high-ranking member was believed to be hiding, only to find it completely empty — the targets had already fled. In the end, only two low-ranking members involved in collections were arrested. Somehow, information about the raid had completely leaked to the organization.

It’s long been known in the underworld that Natural meticulously gathers intelligence on police movements. A person familiar with the scout industry’s inner workings said, “I heard they got the information directly from an undercover-connected officer. The executives had already gone into hiding at least two days before the operation.” Regardless of how the information leaked, despite a prolonged investigation, authorities have yet to arrest any top leaders or uncover the organization’s full structure. Since the failed raid, Natural has stepped up its vigilance even further, frequently changing the locations where they distribute wages in parks and on the streets.

One investigator revealed:

“Natural is one of the most notorious examples of what we call anonymous, decentralized crime groups— or ‘Tokuryu.’ The fact that they’re still operating unchecked is a huge problem. But they have no offices, and they can run their entire operation off smartphones, making them incredibly difficult to track. On top of that, they’re extremely thorough in countering investigations, so it won’t be easy. We have no choice but to carefully plan the timing and continue gathering evidence to reliably reach the top.”

So who exactly is the leader that authorities are after? The founder of Natural, known as the chairman, reportedly used to go by the surname K and now uses T, though both are likely aliases, and his real name remains unknown. He’s said to be around 40 years old, with a twin brother who also holds a top position in the group. According to another longtime member, while he’s occasionally been seen dining in Tokyo recently, he remains cautious — always communicating via Telegram.

“The chairman still attends the monthly meetings where executives from across the country gather. His hobby is weight training, and he’s built like a bodybuilder, weighing around 100 kilograms.

He’s long been known as a violent enforcer and apparently rose to power after breaking away from another scout group. He frequently changes where he lives so no one can track him down — I doubt many people even know where he stays.”

Unlike traditional yakuza groups, there are no ritual sake-sharing ceremonies or in-person obligations. What our investigation uncovered was a bizarre, faceless world of 2,000 anonymous members connected solely through special apps on their smartphones, trafficking women like commodities, with tens of billions of yen in dirty money circulating each year.

The current member we interviewed, Saeki, also had work that night. As we parted ways before he headed into the entertainment district, he told us:

“I’m living through hell right now. Mentally, I’m at my limit and seriously thinking about what to do with my life. I went to a decent university, and deep down, I wanted to join a proper company and make my parents proud. But the money was too good, and I got pulled in through the relationships I made — before I knew it, I was stuck.

I know it’s my own fault, and I regret it. That’s why I decided to talk. I want to get out of this world and live a proper life. But I don’t think the organization’s going anywhere. I’ve even heard a good number of new recruits are joining in April”

The most dangerous scout group, Natural, continues to prey on women and young people, growing and mutating like a bizarre, sinister amoeba.

Nihonbashi Group*.
A new type of reporting and information team consisting of people from the media, bureaucracy, politics, IT, etc. The Nihonbashi Group works with domestic and international organizations, mainly in the areas of investigative reporting and documentary production.

From the April 18, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”