Did He Mistake 190 Million for a Travel Bag!? The Connection Between the Men Arrested for “Attempted Theft” at Haneda Airport and the “Ueno Incident”

Two minutes before the “190 million yen attempted robbery”

On January 30, an attempted robbery took place in the parking lot at Haneda Airport, where 190 million yen in cash was nearly stolen. Just two minutes before that incident, in the same parking lot, a group of men were arrested for attempting to steal a Boston bag from another man.

On July 2, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrests on suspicion of attempted theft of: Yoshito Koyama (20), whose address and occupation are unknown; Yozuki Sugamori (22) and Taiga Kurihara (20), both of Machida City, Tokyo, whose occupations are unknown; anda juvenile (16).

“According to police, around 12:10 a.m. on January 30, the four are suspected of attempting to steal two duffel bags that a man in his 20s—who was waiting to be picked up—had placed on the ground in the parking lot of Haneda Airport’s Terminal 3.Although one of them managed to take one of the bags, when the man gave chase, they reportedly abandoned the bag and fled in a white car carrying the remaining three suspects. The man who had been holding the bags had just returned from a trip, and the bags reportedly contained a change of clothes, souvenirs, and a laptop.

Two minutes later, on the same floor, a group transporting 190 million yen in cash was attacked. One man suffered minor injuries after being sprayed with pepper spray, but the perpetrators fled in a white car without taking the cash,” said a reporter from the crime desk of a national newspaper.

The group transporting the 190 million yen narrowly escaped the robbery, but two of them traveled directly to Hong Kong afterward, where they were robbed of 51 million yen. One of them, identified as an informant, was arrested by local police along with the perpetrators.

“The four arrested in this case were acquaintances from the same hometown, and it appears they were identified through security camera footage. Additionally, in the 190 million yen incident, the white Prius used in the getaway was discovered, and it bore a striking resemblance to the white car the four suspects used in this latest incident.“Police believe the four had prior knowledge that 190 million yen was being transported and mistakenly attempted to steal the bag,” (ibid.)

Furthermore, around 9:30 p.m. on January 29—two and a half hours before the Haneda incident—another incident occurred in Ueno, Taito Ward, Tokyo, in which a suitcase containing 420 million yen in cash, also intended for transport to Hong Kong, was stolen.In connection with this incident, seven men—including senior members of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai, and Kyokuto-kai—were arrested on March 14.

Not “Under-the-Table Jobs,” but “Professional” Work

A connection between the two cases is suspected because the cash involved in both was obtained through financial transactions, and the modus operandi—specifically targeting cash destined for Hong Kong—was identical. On the surface, the two cases appear unrelated… Underworld journalist Yukio Ishihara explains.

“The key point is that the Organized Crime Control Division is involved in both cases. Jinru Kano (21), a senior member of a fourth-tier Yamaguchi-gumi affiliate who was arrested as the mastermind in the Ueno incident, is actually the biological son of that group’s boss. This boss is also an executive in the parent organization, and through those channels, the Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai, and Kyokuto-kai. The theory is that either orders were issued to Kano to act as the on-site mastermind, or information leaked to him, leading him to plan the operation as his own side business.

“The connection between Suspect Koyama—reported to be the ringleader in this case—and Suspect Kano is still unclear, but even if Suspect Koyama wasn’t a gang member, it’s highly likely he had ties to the underworld. It’s possible that, upon receiving instructions, he gathered local acquaintances to carry out this crime,”

The incidents in Ueno, Haneda, and Hong Kong are said to share a common “professional” modus operandi.

“Unlike crimes involving illegal part-time jobs, this is clearly a ‘professional modus operandi.’ I actually covered the scene in Ueno myself; they instantly surrounded the group carrying money out of the building and sprayed them with pepper spray without hesitation. After all, that kind of thing isn’t something you can pull off so smoothly.

Furthermore, the crimes were limited to spraying tear gas in the face at most; they did not resort to physical violence at all. The fact that they calculated their actions to minimize the severity of the charges upon arrest shows a high degree of professionalism,” (ibid.)

As the investigation progresses, the connection between these three cases—all targeting massive amounts of underground money—will likely be revealed.

*“FRIDAY Digital” welcomes tips and information from the public. Please submit information via the form below or through our official X account.

Tip Submission Form: https://friday.kodansha.co.jp/tips
Official X: https://x.com/FRIDAY_twit