Kanagawa Prefectural Police, in conjunction with Chiba Prefectural Police, arrested 15 individuals, including the owner Shinya Watanabe, on suspicions of violating the Adult Entertainment Business Law by operating an adult entertainment establishment in a zone where such businesses are banned. The operation was allegedly masked as a men’s aesthetic salon, functioning out of an apartment in Shinjuku, Tokyo, where providing sexual services is prohibited under local regulations. The arrests took place on December 17, and the defendants have yet to disclose their pleas.

According to investigative sources, Watanabe and his associates conspired to open the establishment in a location outlawed for adult businesses by Tokyo ordinances enacted in 2025. The enterprise, which reportedly grossed over ¥1 billion annually, was said to encompass not only the Shinjuku location but also a franchise network spanning Tokyo and neighboring prefectures such as Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, and Tochigi, with 26 rooms in total in the capital. The police believe these operations were part of a broader scheme exploiting loopholes in the law.

This case has emerged following earlier investigations conducted by Kanagawa Police into affiliated establishments in February 2025. The joint task force established by Kanagawa and Chiba authorities seized evidence from about 42 locations, including the main offices and suspected storage sites for the revenue accrued from the illegal activities. The implications of this operation highlight a significant challenge for law enforcement in regulating adult entertainment businesses, particularly in regions where such services are legally restricted, and underscore the growing complexity of illegal operations concealed under legitimate business fronts.