NAGANO (TR) – A courtroom right here this week handed a former worker at insurance coverage firm MetLife Insurance Okay.Okay. a jail time period for defrauding clients out of a complete of almost 75 million yen via false funding schemes, experiences Nagano TV (Mar. 19).

On Thursday, the Nagano District Court handed Takanori Kobayashi, 39, a six-year jail time period for fraud. The prosecution had sought a seven yr time period.

According to the indictment and different paperwork, Kobayashi defrauded not less than 10 female and male MetLife Insurance clients of 74.78 million yen by providing them fictitious funding schemes between 2021 and 2023.

In one instance, the defendant falsely promised a sufferer that they might obtain a month-to-month dividend of 140,000 yen in the event that they deposited 7 million yen.

Presiding decide Masashi Sakata acknowledged that “the crime was a habitual offense that exploited the trust of customers, making the criminal responsibility heavy and deserving of severe condemnation.”

“Despicable crime”

During the trial, the prosecution acknowledged that it was a “despicable crime that exploited a long-standing relationship of trust with the victim and trampled on her feelings.”

Meanwhile, the protection sought leniency, arguing that the crime was for the advantage of the Kobayashi’s purchasers and that he surrendered to the police.

As Kobayashi left the courtroom, he turned to the spectators part and, with tears in his eyes, bowed his head and stated, “I will definitely compensate the victims. I am truly sorry.”
Takanori Kobayashi

Heavily in debt

On social media, Kobayashi out on show a lifetime of immense luxurious. In one picture, he sips champagne in a lounge at high-end resort abroad. In one other, he’s wearing a tuxedo and within the firm of three ladies in night attire.

However, that picture was not actual.

On March 16, three days earlier than the sentence was handed down, he spoke to TV Shinshu from a detention facility. “I feel sorry for the customers I deceived. I’m filled with regret and remorse,” he stated via tears.

As the interview went on, nonetheless, his tone regularly grew to become extra cheerful. “I was so distraught about the money I swindled that I said 300 million yen in court, but I think it was actually around 500 to 700 million yen.”

He acknowledged that throughout the interval cited by indictment, he was amassing cash for the advantage of his purchasers and had no sense of deception or that he was committing a criminal offense. As nicely, though he seemed to be dwelling a lavish way of life, he was really closely in debt and had virtually no cash on him simply earlier than his arrest.

Make amends

One lady claimed she was swindled out of 25 million yen by Kobayashi in 2020. She advised the community, “I feel sorry for him. To be honest, I deeply regret being deceived and going ahead with it, but if you ask me if I resent him, I don’t; I just want him to make amends,” she stated.

Kobayashi advised the community that he won’t enchantment, stating that he desires to “return to society as soon as possible and repay the full amount.”

HOKKAIDO (TR) – Hokkaido Prefectural Police have arrested a 60-year-old lady for allegedly leaving a physique believed to be that of her brother of their Hakodate City residence, reviews TV Asahi (Mar. 20).

On Friday, police accused Fusae Yoneya of abandoning a corpse. “I had no money for cremation, so I left it there,” she advised police in admitting to the allegations.

Earlier that day, police obtained a report that “there seems to be the body of an acquaintance’s brother” on the home.

When police investigated, they discovered the skeletal physique inside. The individual appeared to have been lifeless for a substantial time frame, police stated.

Police are working to determine the physique.

TOKYO (TR) – A loss-prevention tag is a tool that when linked to a smartphone can allow a consumer to know its location. The are a handy means to forestall loss and and theft.

However, the elevated use of the tags has been accompanied by a surge in stalking circumstances, which reached a document excessive final 12 months, studies TBS News (Mar. 19).

On March 19, the National Police Agency introduced the variety of consultations concerning acts of misuse of loss-prevention tags reached a document excessive of 679 circumstances in 2025. This is almost double the quantity from the earlier 12 months, with stalking utilizing the tags being a rising downside.

“Compared to the period between and January and March 2025, the number of requests increased by about 1.5 times,” says Toru Tamura, the CEO of TryAgent, an organization that focuses on safety points.

Conceal them

Tamura says that individuals misusing the tags usually conceal them inside or on autos.

“The underside of the vehicle,” says Tamura. “They’re usually attached using magnets, whose batteries could be changed many times, and there winds up being considerable wear and tear on the double-sided tape or magnets.”

Such use can result in tragedy.

In December 2025, a girl was murdered in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Police later revealed that the ex-boyfriend of the sufferer had despatched a stuffed animal containing a loss-prevention tag to the lady’s dad and mom’ home. Police imagine the person might have recognized the lady’s residence utilizing the tag’s location data.

Earlier this 12 months, a person in custody for dumping the corpse of a girl in Saitama Prefecture has additionally been accused of stalking her. According to police, he affixed a loss-prevention tag to her automobile earlier than abducting her.

Smartphone

As prevention measure, smartphones might be set to inform a consumer if an unfamiliar tag is close by.

Tamura says, “The person who sets a trap is likely to be someone you’ve had contact with before. If you’ve had trouble, don’t accept things from people.”

As effectively, for those who discover an unfamiliar tag at residence, it’s necessary to seek the advice of the police, says Tamura.