The government on Tuesday announced that it will use undercover investigators posing as applicants for yami baito (shady part-time jobs) to crack down on a surge in violent burglaries linked to such arrangements.
In a ministerial meeting, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addressed the alarming trend in which criminal groups use social media platforms to recruit perpetrators under the guise of innocuous job opportunities marketed as howaito anken (¡°white¡± proposals) to signify that it is not a shady listing.
But in reality, these postings recruit individuals to commit crimes that range from scams to robberies, and the applicants are often forced to perform the work since the recruiters have their private information.
This is the first time the government has introduced measures to allow investigators to disguise their IDs to apply for yami baito jobs on social media. Until now, undercover investigations have been allowed only for drug- and gun-related criminal investigations.
The government will allow such investigations within the scope of current law to ensure the arrest of not only those who carry out these burglaries but the masterminds behind the crimes as well. It plans to draft a detailed set of guidelines for the measure and introduce it as early as next year.
The National Police Agency and the Digital Agency will work with related ministries to take steps toward cracking down on such crimes, such as strengthening the cybercrime units of police departments by increasing headcount, enhancing equipment and tools and implementing cyber education for all law enforcement personnel.
The government said that it will also employ artificial intelligence to strengthen cyber patrols, as well as collaborate with foreign investigative agencies.
Aside from such measures, the government will make certain information mandatory for recruitment ads, including those for freelance work, such as the recruiter¡¯s name, contact information and details of the work involved.
Ishiba said the government will install security cameras in more locations and deploy patrol vehicles to keep communities safe.
¡°Such crimes threaten the moral and ethical values that have long been cherished in Japanese society, such as compassion for others and diligent effort. These acts are absolutely unacceptable,¡± he said.
¡°Through these measures, we will create a recruitment environment where (the distribution of) yami baito information will not be tolerated.¡±
As of Dec. 5, police had identified 46 people as being suspects in 17 out of 19 home burglaries that took place in four prefectures in Kanto between August and November.
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