‘Tokyo vice’ Author: Malaysia Less Appealing Than Philippines, cambodia for Scam Operations Linked to Japanese Crime Groups
KUALA LUMPUR, June 12, 2024 – Malaysia is not currently a major hub for scam call centres targeting Japanese victims, largely due to it’s smaller Japanese population and comparatively lower levels of corruption, according to Shigeru Yotoriyama, a retired senior commissioner of Japan’s National Police Agency. Yotoriyama,who served 35 years with the agency before retiring in 2021,shared his insights at a recent conference,explaining the shifting landscape of fraud operations preying on Japanese citizens.
While acknowledging scam call centres have migrated from Japan to Southeast Asia seeking to evade arrest through bribery and lax SIM card registration processes, yotoriyama identified the Philippines and Cambodia as “hot points.” He attributed this to the critically important Japanese expatriate communities in those countries, providing readily available support networks – including real estate and other services – and a higher tolerance for corruption.
“The Philippines and Cambodia are the hottest points,because in the Philippines there are so many Japanese residents,they can easily find assistance,find real estate or any other services,” Yotoriyama told Malay Mail,emphasizing corruption as a key facilitator.
He also pointed to the presence of tokuryū – loosely organised Japanese crime groups often linked to the yakuza – as a factor in selecting operational bases. Examples cited included the Philippines-based “Luffy” fraud ring, which collaborated with “JP Dragon,” a syndicate founded by a former yakuza member, to launder funds back to Japan.
While Malaysia presents fewer advantages for these groups, investigative journalist Jake Adelstein, also present at the conference, cautioned that tokuryū groups “might be willing to set up here, because if they can get away with it, they will go anywhere.”
Yotoriyama indicated that the masterminds behind scam operations in Malaysia could be either Japanese or Chinese nationals. He noted that advancements in translation technology now allow non-japanese speakers to convincingly impersonate Japanese individuals, removing a previous barrier to entry.
Malaysian authorities have made arrests related to scam call centres targeting Japanese victims, including seven Japanese men in November 2023 and 13 in May 2024. In August 2023, police arrested 21 non-Japanese suspects linked to a scam targeting Japanese citizens.