Technical Intern Program Supervisor Arrested for Running Illegal Sex Business Employing 40 Thai Women, Earning ¥136.8 Million
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
The Metropolitan Police Department announced by July 2, 2026, that it had arrested three people, including Naoki Hakamada (50), a supervisory official at a Tokyo-based supervisory organization for the Technical Intern Training Program, on suspicion of violating the Entertainment Business Law. Among the three is Misaki Nitwanlar (50), a Thai national. The suspects are accused of having female employees provide sexual services to male customers at four establishments—including "Refresh Spa Ueno" in Taito Ward—located in areas such as Shin-Okubo where sex-related businesses are prohibited, over a roughly four-year period beginning around 2022. The four establishments are believed to have generated combined sales of approximately ¥136.8 million.
Supervisory organizations are tasked with guiding and overseeing companies that accept technical intern trainees and are responsible for protecting the trainees. Despite holding a leadership position within such an organization, Hakamada is alleged to have been involved in operating an illegal sex business. Approximately 40 Thai women reportedly worked at the raided establishments.
Current status: As of this writing, it remains unclear whether the case will be referred for prosecution. The incident calls into question the reliability of the oversight system for the Technical Intern Training Program itself, and this article will be updated as further details emerge.
The fact that a leader of a supervisory organization—an entity meant to protect technical intern trainees—was himself implicated in wrongdoing sets this case apart from previously reported incidents in which host companies were found to have facilitated illegal employment (related coverage). It illustrates a vulnerability in the oversight structure of the program itself. Even as moves to expand the Specified Skilled Worker and Technical Intern Training programs continue (related coverage), preventing misconduct on the supervisory side has emerged as an issue in its own right.