The Tokyo Metropolitan Police has re-arrested 38-year-old Phunsiripanya Pakapon, the manager of a massage parlor in Bunkyo Ward, under suspicion of violating immigration laws by facilitating unlawful employment. This arrest comes in the wake of the trafficking case involving a 12-year-old Thai girl who was protected as a trafficking victim after being employed at the parlor. The suspect has reportedly acknowledged knowing that the girl was on a short-term stay and not permitted to work in Japan.

Pakapon served as a broker, allegedly introducing between 30 to 40 Thai women to the parlor, primarily through social media targeting Thai nationals. Alongside the parlor's owner, who faces charges related to child welfare law violations, Pakapon is suspected of conspiring to employ the girl from June 28 to 30, 2025, despite her lacking the necessary work permit. Previously arrested in January for making the girl engage in indecent acts with male customers, he initially denied the charges before admitting to hiring short-term Thai residents.

The young girl came to Japan in late June of the previous year with her mother, who left just two weeks later, leaving her daughter to work alone. After a period, the girl was rescued and returned to Thailand in December. Her mother was arrested by Thai police on related trafficking charges. In response to ongoing trafficking concerns, officials from both the Japanese police and Thai authorities met in February to discuss cooperation on investigations, highlighting the need for international collaboration to combat cross-border human trafficking.