Politics | Jun 05

Ex-Japanese lawmaker GaaSyy arrested

TOKYO, Jun 05 (NHK) - Japanese police have arrested the former YouTuber-turned Upper House member GaaSyy on suspicion of multiple allegations, including intimidation.

He was elected to the Upper House as a member of an opposition party last year. But he was expelled for failing to appear at any Diet session.

GaaSyy, whose real name is Higashitani Yoshikazu, returned to Japan from the United Arab Emirates on Sunday.

Tokyo police took him into custody just after his arrival on suspicion of repeatedly intimidating and slandering celebrities and business people in online videos. GaaSyy gained fame for running a gossip channel.

A number of prominent figures have filed criminal complaints against him. Tokyo police obtained a warrant for his arrest in March and requested he be placed on an Interpol wanted list.


MORE Politics NEWS

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials say "customer harassment" of service staff and other workers is a growing problem across the capital. (NHK)

In a significant move against what has been labeled as "breeding grounds for waste," the Japanese government has decided to terminate 15 state-funded projects, planning to return more than 540 billion yen to the national treasury.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has made a ritual offering at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo for its spring festival. (NHK)

POPULAR NEWS

Japanese company Smile-Up, the former talent agency known as Johnny & Associates, says it has sent a letter of protest to Britain's public broadcaster BBC over its program on sexual abuse by its late founder. (NHK)

A private organization has revealed that approximately 40% of the national municipalities, totaling 744, could potentially disappear by 2050 due to declining populations.

Youngsters in Japan are enthusiastically embracing the world of cosmetics, with a recent survey reporting some 60% of elementary students own some form of makeup.

Major American IT companies like Microsoft and Oracle have announced substantial investments totalling 4 trillion yen ($26 billion) in data centers in Japan, sparking concerns about digital sovereignty and AI development.

A former host admitted to knowingly receiving approximately 25 million yen that had been deceitfully obtained by convicted scammer "Riri-chan," in a trial held on April 23.

FOLLOW US