Tokyo Scouting Group Arrested for Human Trafficking and Prostitution

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has reported that a group called Access, led by 33-year-old Kazuma Endo, gained approximately 7 billion yen (around $44 million) by facilitating introductions between women and roughly 350 sex businesses throughout Japan from July 2019 to October 2024. Endo was rearrested on January 9 on suspicions of breaching the Employment Security Law by recruiting women for prostitution, marking his third arrest related to this case, with the current charge concerning the dispatch of a woman in her twenties to a sex establishment in Oita Prefecture.

Endo has firmly denied these accusations, claiming to have no knowledge of the alleged activities. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police have indicated that Access is involved in egregious human trafficking practices, mainly targeting women burdened by considerable debt, primarily through social media platforms. In response to the emerging evidence, the police established a special investigation unit on January 8 to thoroughly assess the group's operations and tactics.

The MPD's security division revealed that Access boasts around 300 members and has engaged in activities not only in Tokyo but also across 45 prefectures in Japan. The group's membership has expanded significantly due to social media outreach and referrals from personal acquaintances. Members of Access play various roles, including scouting women and connecting them with sex industry operators. Additionally, it was noted that the group evaluated each female applicant on an eight-level scale based on their appearance, and a portion of the earnings from the women in the sex trade was reportedly retained by Access as introduction fees.