Five Suspected Tokuryu Members Arrested in Edogawa Tear Gas Robbery — The Shocking Reality of Black-Market Crime Tools

When he turned around, a blast of pepper spray hit him directly in the face

In September, five men believed to be members of the so-called “Tokuryu” (anonymous, mobile crime group) were arrested for allegedly attempting to rob a staffing company president (in his 30s) on a street in Tokyo’s Edogawa Ward. The suspects reportedly sprayed him in the face with what appeared to be pepper spray, causing burns, and tried to snatch a bag containing 53 million yen in cash.

By October 3, the Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigative Division had arrested:

Mizuki Hanada (30), of Izumi City, Osaka (occupation unknown)

Takahiro Yamanaka (39), address unknown (occupation unknown)

Rei Satokawa (22), an interior construction worker from Kawai Town, Nara Prefecture

Ryusei Saeki (21), a company employee from the same town

Tomoki Minami (22), address and occupation unknown

The incident occurred around 10:20 a.m. on September 19 in Nishi-Mizue, Edogawa Ward. After withdrawing money from a bank, the victim parked near his company and was approached by two men sitting on the roadside. When he turned around, they suddenly sprayed him in the face with what seemed to be tear gas. The attackers tried to grab his bag of cash, but fled empty-handed when he resisted, running in the opposite direction of the nearest station.

“Security cameras captured the men splitting up as they fled,” said a social affairs reporter. “Both were about 170 cm tall and slim, wearing black short-sleeved shirts, black shorts, and sunglasses — one also had a mask. These two are believed to be Satokawa and Saeki.”

Although the group initially escaped, Satokawa turned himself in that same night at a police station in Nara Prefecture. Based on his statements and CCTV footage, the involvement of the other four suspects was uncovered.

“Police believe that Hanada and Yamanaka acted as the ringleaders giving instructions, while Minami served as the transporter. Except for a few, the five suspects were not personally acquainted with one another and had no connection to the victim. They are said to have communicated via Signal, a highly secure messaging app, and are believed to be members of an anonymous, mobile crime group known as Tokuryu, which is thought to include additional masterminds and recruiters.

The two men who carried out the attack — Satokawa and Saeki — have admitted to the charges, while Hanada and Yamanaka deny involvement, and Minami has remained silent,” the same source said.

The reason incidents involving tear gas spray are occurring frequently

Our magazine captured the moment on October 2 when suspects Hanada and Yamanaka were transported to the Komatsugawa Police Station of the Metropolitan Police Department. Hanada, who was riding in the police vehicle with a sweatshirt hood pulled over his head and his face down, showed no visible expression. The brief glimpse of his face as he stepped out of the car was expressionless, appearing calm.

By contrast, when Yamanaka’s car arrived at the station he seemed to curl the corner of his mouth slightly as he glanced at the gathered media, but after exiting the vehicle he kept his head down the whole time.

In Edogawa Ward on September 24, three restaurant employees — two men and a woman — were sprayed one after another with a tear-gas–like substance by two masked men wearing dark clothing and were taken to hospital by ambulance. The attackers remained silent throughout, showed no signs of searching the premises, and fled immediately.

Also in July, at a residence in Kanagawa Ward, Yokohama City, several intruders sprayed the occupant with tear gas and stole a safe containing several million yen in cash; in April, in Ueno, Tokyo, a man in his 60s was sprayed by a pair of men and was nearly robbed of a bag containing gold bars worth about ¥250 million on the market (the perpetrators in that case have been arrested). A writer well versed in these incidents explained the background to the frequent use of tear gas in such crimes as follows:

“Because it’s easy to obtain and allows even amateurs to stop a victim from a distance, criminal groups favor its use. The voluntary association ‘Japan Self-Defense Goods Association,’ which member self-defense goods shops belong to, requires buyers of stun guns and tear gas to present ID and sign a pledge not to misuse them; photocopies of IDs and related documents are kept for five years.

However, with online sales now predominant, there are almost no cases in which stun guns or tear gas purchased from the association’s member stores were later used in crimes. Many tear gas sprays use chemical components extracted from chili peppers, and if they get in the eyes they cause a burning pain like a burn. If used at an appropriate distance there’s little risk of serious injury or lasting effects, but use at very close range can be dangerous. Calls for regulation are growing.”

Easily obtained and simple to use, these are weapons that allow amateurs to injure ordinary citizens — and that is the terrifying reality of crimes carried out by Tokuryu groups.

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