How Criminals Tarnished the Reputation of Private Investigation Services in Japan.
In the private investigation industry, not everyone is looking for a lost loved one or wishing to conduct a background check. There are instances where criminals attempt to utilize private investigation services for their own gain, which can produce disastrous results.
Case 1: 2010 “Yakuza” Japanese Mafia Use PI Services for Police Blackmail (Source Link)
The Japanese Mafia, known as the “Yakuza”, targeted a police unit in Aichi Prefecture in charge of the monitoring and apprehension of large crime syndicates. The “Yakuza” was able to acquire personal information such as the addresses and phone numbers of the police officers involved through the use of private investigation services.
The “Yazkuza” had planned to build a luxurious house in Aichi, but the plan was thwarted. Therefore, the group attempted to halt the police investigation by making threatening phone calls. These attempts were eventually stopped and the fugitives were apprehended, but not before significant damage was done to the reputation of the PI services that provided that information to the group.
Case 2: 2011 Stalker Case Ends in Murder with Information Provided by PI (Source Link)
In November 2011, a 40-year-old man stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death in Zushi, Kanagawa, Japan after acquiring her address by hiring a private investigator. Prior to the murder, the victim had repeatedly reported the stalking to the police and the man was arrested 6 months before the murder.
In Japan, police must inform suspects why they were arrested and who the victim is. Therefore, after the man walked, he was given both the married surname of the woman and the city where she lived. With that information, he was able to find her address through private investigation services.
After the incident, police were widely criticized for their poor handling of stalking suspects. The police turned their acrimony toward the PI industry to deter the public from placing the entirety of the blame on the force.
PIs Under Fire
Due to these two incidents, the Aichi Police department became the driving force in cracking down on data leaks and information sources in the PI industry for the first time in the nation’s history.
Information sources included the following:
- Administrative attorneys for residences and family registration records
- Corrupted phone company employees for phone-related information
- Corrupted police officers for vehicle license plate information
- Corrupted tax office officers for vehicle information
- Corrupted city hall officers for addresses and employment records
- Corrupted moneylenders for credit reports, address information, etc.
With these new provisions in place, 40 information sources in the private investigation industry were arrested between 2010 and 2013.
Conclusion
The police are one of the most powerful forces in society today, and often, private investigation firms are unable to stand up to that kind of resistance. It is our responsibility as a reputable firm in this business to ensure the good character of our customers to keep providing high quality, safe and confidential services to our clients.
