Regarding the four suspects that Japan is requesting extradition in connection with the series of wide-area robberies that have been taking place nationwide, the Philippine Justice Minister told NHK on the 4th that the following day on the 6th of the week. Given that the trial of another case of two of them will be held, it was revealed that all four could be handed over on the 7th if the trial was dismissed.

In connection with the series of wide-area robberies, Japanese police have identified four suspects, Yuki Watanabe, Tomonobu Kojima, Seiya Fujita, and Masato Imamura, as being involved in other special fraud cases. We are requesting the Philippine side to obtain an arrest warrant for him and hand him over.



Two of the four, Fujita and Imamura, had their trials dismissed in separate cases and are legally eligible for extradition to Japan.



On the other hand, the next trial for Watanabe and Kojima was scheduled to be held on the 7th, but as a result of the prosecution's request, it was brought forward to the 6th. It is a policy to hand over to Japan as soon as it is rejected.

Regarding this, the Philippine Minister of Justice Lemuria said in an interview with NHK on the 4th, "We are trying to hand over the four people as early as the 7th." I made it clear that there is a possibility that everyone will be handed over.



Philippine President Marcos is scheduled to visit Japan for the first time since his inauguration from the 8th, and the Philippine government has indicated that it wants to hand over all four before the president's visit.

Watanabe suspect multiple businesses in Susukino, downtown area of ​​Sapporo

Yuki Watanabe, who is suspected of giving instructions in a series of wide-area robberies, has an arrest warrant from the Metropolitan Police Department for being involved in a special fraud case.



According to those involved, after graduating from high school in Nakashibetsu Town, Hokkaido, Watanabe is believed to have been involved in various businesses, including soliciting customers in Susukino, the downtown area of ​​Sapporo, as well as managing multiple restaurants and the real estate business. increase.



A person involved in the apartment that Watanabe was using at the time responded to NHK's interview and revealed that there were records related to the rental from 2008 to 2013.



According to multiple people involved, it seems that Watanabe was providing a service that allows him to talk to women online in the apartment room.



At the time, an official at the apartment said he had seen multiple women who did not live in the room repeatedly enter and exit, saying, "I didn't know whether he was guiding the guests in the room or letting them meet the women. I was asked to leave because I was using it like a waiting area for women.I was surprised to learn that it was Watanabe, the suspect in this case."

People who know Watanabe, who is "good at speaking as an instructor"

About 20 years ago, a man in his 40s who had worked as a barker with Watanabe in the downtown area of ​​Sapporo, Susukino, told NHK about how he started working at night. I was.



According to the man, Watanabe, who started living in Sapporo after graduating from high school in Nakashibetsu, Hokkaido, was around 18 to 20 years old at the time, and while he was a student, he worked as a barker five days a week in Susukino, a downtown area. It means that I was at work.



It is said that he would invite passers-by to the girls' bar and draw about 20 to 30 customers into the bar in one day.



Regarding Watanabe at the time, "He was friendly and brought customers more and more, and when the seats were full, he talked to the customers for 30 to 40 minutes as a matter of course. His hometown and delicious food and drink. He was a good talker and an excellent barker,” he recalled.



At that time, it was a system where you could get a high wage if you brought in customers at a high price without haggling. I was getting back," he said.



After that, Watanabe was around 20 years old, and opened a restaurant in Susukino that entertained women. I thought, maybe he had a desire to learn know-how while attracting customers and run the business himself."



The man said that he had visited this restaurant several times after receiving an invitation from Suspect Watanabe, but it did not seem to be prospering in a small store, and it did not last long and closed.



On the other hand, after that, when he saw Watanabe in the city, he said that he felt uncomfortable because he was wearing a luxury suit and watch in a luxury foreign car.



The man said, ``Even though he closed the shop, he was clearly doing well. When I asked him what kind of work he was doing to make money, he always said 'No, no,' so I suspected he was doing something wrong. ' said.



After that, they exchanged greetings when they met in the city, but a few years later, around 2009, when Watanabe was around 25 years old, they stopped seeing each other, so he didn't know he was in the Philippines. is.



A man who learned of the incident said, "I was surprised, but Watanabe was not the type to commit violence. I think he was a good commander, a good talker, and good at getting people involved. I'm shocked," he said.

An employee of the restaurant that Watanabe was visiting was a "good customer"

In the downtown area at night in Manila, suspect Yuki Watanabe often visited restaurants where women served customers.



An employee of the store said about Watanabe, "I remember her face because she often visited the store several years ago. I had the impression that she was a good customer."