Fake Ukiyo-e Sale Lands Man in Trouble – What This Case Teaches About Online Auctions
Suspect Nonoyama Taken into Custody. Mask Completely Covers Eyes, Possibly to Avoid Being PhotographedSold Fake Ukiyo-e for About 1.2 Million Yen
Amid attention on the NHK Taiga drama “Berabou”, which features the ukiyo-e publisher Shigezaburo Tsutaya as the protagonist, a man was arrested for selling counterfeit ukiyo-e prints by popular artists on a major online auction site to swindle money.
“On November 26, the Kanda Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested Katsuaki Nonoyama (53), an employee of Tokyo Electric Power Holdings living in Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, on suspicion of fraud for selling counterfeit ukiyo-e online while pretending they were genuine.
Nonoyama is suspected of listing ukiyo-e on April 13, 2025, and selling them for about 1.2 million yen. The male buyer realized the prints were fake and sent Nonoyama a message, but he became unreachable, leading the buyer to consult the police, which uncovered the case. Nonoyama reportedly told the police during questioning, ‘I won’t talk until my lawyer arrives,’ withholding his acknowledgment of the charges,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s social affairs desk.
The prints Nonoyama listed were two woodblock prints: Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s “Soma no Furuuchiri” and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s “Oshu Adachigahara Hitotsu Ie no Zu”, both counterfeit. Although fake, they were said to be meticulously made.
The social affairs reporter explained:
“‘Soma no Furuuchiri’ was auctioned for 679,000 yen, and ‘Oshu Adachigahara Hitotsu Ie no Zu’ for 502,000 yen.
The counterfeit prints were allegedly made by Nonoyama obtaining image data of the original works, printing them onto traditional woodblock print paper using a printer, and processing them with paint to give them an aged appearance. In addition, as with the original prints, the images were printed on the back so they would show through from behind. Nonoyama also labeled the auction titles with ‘genuine work’ to imply authenticity.”
On November 28, Nonoyama was handed over to the prosecutor’s office. Around 9 a.m., he appeared at the Kanda Police Station’s escort entrance, standing about a head taller than the surrounding officers. Possibly not wanting his face photographed, he had pulled his mask up to cover his eyes and, looking slightly upward, was escorted into the police vehicle.
Is It Difficult to Recover the Money Lost?
A writer familiar with online crimes points out, “This case involved the exploitation of the online auction system.”
“The auction site used by Nonoyama had a payment system in which, once a buyer wins a bid and makes payment, the site holds the money and transfers it to the seller only after confirming that the buyer has received the item. If there is a problem with the item, the buyer and seller are expected to resolve it directly, and if no resolution is reached within 28 days, the payment is automatically released to the seller.
In this case, the buyer commissioned an appraisal and confirmed the prints were fake, but could not contact Nonoyama, and the payment was transferred to him anyway.”
So, if someone falls victim to fraud on an auction site, is it possible to get their money back? We asked Koichiro Matsui, a lawyer at Atom Law Office.
“Many internet auction platforms have compensation systems. Therefore, under certain conditions, a victim may be eligible for compensation. However, fundamentally, internet auctions are direct transactions between sellers and buyers, and the platform merely provides the venue. As a result, the platform, which is not the perpetrator of the fraud, is not necessarily obliged to refund the money.
Ideally, the proper course is to request a refund directly from the seller. However, cases in which the fraudulent seller agrees to pay are rare, and in many instances, it is impossible to recover the full amount due to reasons such as lack of funds or inability to contact the seller.
If the case is treated as a criminal matter and the defrauded money is seized, there is a possibility of recovering the payment, but compensation is not guaranteed.”
While online auction systems are convenient, they also have aspects that make recovering losses difficult when abused. Is there a way to prevent fraud on these platforms? Lawyer Matsui continues.
Is Producing Counterfeit Items a Crime?
“It is difficult to completely prevent fraud, but it is possible to minimize the damage. For high-priced items, it is important to carefully check the seller’s transaction history and ratings, and confirm that the price is not far from the market value. Also, be aware of the compensation system and the terms of service in advance. If a problem occurs, file a complaint within the specified period, preserve evidence such as transaction records and payment records, and consult the police or experts promptly.”
On Nonoyama’s online auction account, seven other transactions have been confirmed, including Hokusai Katsushika’s Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, and the police are investigating whether there are any other victims.
As for whether producing counterfeit prints of famous ukiyo-e, as Nonoyama did, is itself a crime, lawyer Matsui explained: “Criminal law does not have penalties for preparatory acts of fraud, so the mere fact of producing counterfeit items does not immediately constitute a crime.”
“However, if the items are falsely represented as genuine and money is obtained from the buyer, it constitutes fraud. Additionally, if forged appraisal certificates or other documents proving authenticity were created or used, it could lead to charges of forgery of private documents and use of forged documents,” Matsui added.
Nonoyama is believed to have possessed the advanced skills necessary to produce counterfeit ukiyo-e. Did he become overconfident in his abilities and not expect that the fakes would be detected?
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police are continuing to investigate to determine whether there are other victims and to fully uncover the scope of the case.
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Interview and text by： Nakahira Ryo PHOTO： Shinji Hasuo