The 27th SAPA Symposium
Journalist Daiki Fujikawa, Chunichi Shimbun (Tokyo Shimbun)
"The Reality of Special Frauds in Southeast Asia"
The 27th SAPA Symposium, the final public event of the fiscal year, was held at the Rengo Kaikan from 3:00 p.m. on February 13th. The theme was the rampant specialized frauds in Southeast Asia, and a lecture was given by journalist Daiki Fujikawa, a founding member of the SAPA.
Losses from specialized frauds are expected to reach a record high of 324.1 billion yen in 2025, with the source of these frauds being located in the Southeast Asian border areas of Cambodia and Myanmar. This is believed to be due to Myanmar's prolonged civil war and the country's military's dependence on China, which has created a breeding ground for fraudulent activity.
The fraud groups are controlled by the Chinese mafia, and use a variety of tactics, including fake job offers, investment scams, and romance scams via social media. Japanese victims, including those caught up in these scams, suffer violence and ransom demands. The Chinese mafia is also collaborating with Japanese organized crime groups, expanding into an international criminal organization.
Despite China and the United States stepping up crackdowns and implementing sanctions, fraud organizations continue to cleverly relocate their bases and continue to survive. Fujikawa states that "poverty and unemployment are driving the supply of human resources to fraud organizations," and argues that a fundamental solution requires international cooperation and economic assistance. Royalties from his book "Lawless Zone of Special Frauds: Closing in on Criminal Groups Lurking in Myanmar," published by Bunshun Shinsho, will be used to support Myanmar refugees living in poor living conditions.
The minutes of the meeting will not be made public due to the sensitive content they contain. Lecture notes from other SAPA symposiums are available the member page (initial login setup required).
