Police Blitz Foreign Free Newspapers

[Mulboyne]

Police recently conducted a survey of free newspapers servicing the foreign community in Japan. They have now revealed that many contain advertisements offering illegal services, such as fake marriage, and illegal job offers. Police are looking at the possibility of prosecuting publishers as criminal accomplices. The survey took place in early summer and found 736 illegal ads in 58 publications across 25 areas of Japan. 26 were in Chinese, 22 in Korean, 5 in Tagalog, 3 in Portuguese and 2 for other nationalities. English isn't specifically mentioned in reports so Metropolis may be off the hook. 40% of suspicious ads were employment offers declaring no visa required, many for sex businesses. 24% offered fake marriages, fake credentials for mobile phone contracts or other illegal notary services. A further 20% were for unlicensed money lenders, medical clinics and other services in the underground economy. 6% related to illegal accommodation. Presumably, the latter means registering under false names or unlawful subletting. Police say these ads are part of a criminal infrastructure which can lead to other cases of fraud or cybercrime. Forces nationwide have been instructed to keep a closer eye on such publications in the future.

Source (Japanese)

[IparryU]

Police recently conducted a survey of free newspapers servicing the foreign community in Japan. They have now revealed that many contain advertisements offering illegal services, such as fake marriage, and illegal job offers. Police are looking at the possibility of prosecuting publishers as criminal accomplices. The survey took place in early summer and found 736 illegal ads in 58 publications across 25 areas of Japan. 26 were in Chinese, 22 in Korean, 5 in Tagalog, 3 in Portuguese and 2 for other nationalities. English isn't specifically mentioned in reports so Metropolis may be off the hook. 40% of suspicious ads were employment offers declaring no visa required, many for sex businesses. 24% offered fake marriages, fake credentials for mobile phone contracts or other illegal notary services. A further 20% were for unlicensed money lenders, medical clinics and other services in the underground economy. 6% related to illegal accommodation. Presumably, the latter means registering under false names or unlawful subletting. Police say these ads are part of a criminal infrastructure which can lead to other cases of fraud or cybercrime. Forces nationwide have been instructed to keep a closer eye on such publications in the future.

Source (Japanese)

well... rather than completely blowing off FG and making them fend for themselves, Japan should be the one putting out these services that are legit, etc.

what am I saying? Ji take back my first statement...apan is the one pushing out all this illegal shit anyway...

[sublight]

- No more "We reveal the top 100 cafes in Tokyo" articles, where the editor has solicited cafes to pay a fee to appear in a list in a magazine, masquerading as an informative article

Hell, that would knock out 90% of the Japanese magazines as well. Back when my wife was doing PR, half her work was sending out 'articles' about her clients for magazines to use as their own.