Osaka Woman Arrested Over ¥4.3 Billion Canceled Orders
AM730 · 2 SOURCESabout 23 hours ago4 MIN
Summary
Tokyo police have arrested a 32-year-old restaurant worker from Osaka, 吉田麻祐, on suspicion of violating Japan’s offense of obstructing business through deceptive conduct after she allegedly placed massive orders for Shueisha anime merchandise and then did not pay or repeatedly canceled them. Police said the total value of the canceled orders reached at least ¥4.3 billion, while the publisher incurred losses of at least ¥7.5 million from shipping preparation and payments to related vendors.
Key Points
- Police said 吉田麻祐, 32, lives in Osaka and works in the food and beverage industry, and was arrested by Tokyo investigators.
- The alleged conduct took place from July 2024 to May 2025 on an online store linked to Weekly Shonen Jump merchandise.
- Items ordered included figures, keychains, and other goods tied to One Piece and Naruto, according to police disclosures.
- Investigators found she allegedly used more than 230 accounts and may have made over 2,000 improper merchandise orders.
- Shueisha filed a report with Tokyo’s Kanda Police Station in June last year after business operations were disrupted and costs mounted.
Why It Matters
The case highlights how large-scale fake or canceled online orders can create real operational and financial damage for publishers and e-commerce partners even when goods are never paid for. The investigation may also draw attention to how Japanese retailers monitor repeat account creation, cancellation abuse, and platform safeguards for high-demand character merchandise.