Key Facts
• June 2025: Two men arrested for sexually assaulting a woman in Osaka.
• Suspects, aged 44 and 32, met via social media without prior acquaintance.
• Incident involved threats with a knife and physical injuries to the victim.
• A male resident was also restrained and forced to undress during the attack.
• Suspects used nicknames and communicated through encrypted apps like Telegram.
• One suspect admitted to having a desire to commit rape.
• Social media platforms facilitated the formation of groups for criminal purposes.
• Hidden language, such as “bird” for voyeurism, used to evade detection.
• Journalist Ando Yuuko highlighted the ease of criminal collaboration online.
• Former Osaka Governor Hashimoto Toru advocated for undercover operations to deter crimes.
Summary
In June 2025, two men were arrested in Osaka for sexually assaulting a woman after connecting via social media. The suspects, aged 44 and 32, had no prior acquaintance and used encrypted communication to plan the attack. The incident involved threats with a knife, physical injuries to the victim, and the restraint of a male resident. One suspect admitted to harboring a desire to commit rape. Experts highlighted the role of social media in facilitating criminal collaboration, with hidden language used to evade detection. Journalist Ando Yuuko expressed concern over the ease of forming such groups, while former Osaka Governor Hashimoto Toru called for undercover operations to deter crimes. Authorities continue to investigate the case.
