Tokyo police arrest four over Stripchat livestreams as EU probes the platform

What happened in the Tokyo case

Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department arrested four people on suspicion of public indecency for organizing and performing explicit livestreams on Stripchat, a large adult website. The suspects include Yuki Kitagawa, 28, president of the Tokyo company TOPPA, a 24 year old manager at the firm, and two women, 40 and 34, who appeared as performers in the broadcasts. Investigators say the shows featured two naked performers and ran from March to August, reaching a wide online audience.

Stripchat is based in Cyprus and supports Japanese language content. The service lets viewers pay to watch and send tips to performers. Earnings are shared with creators after the platform deducts a commission. According to police and media reports, the streams in this case were mainly produced in studios in Tokyo and were made available to a large number of unknown viewers.

Investigative sources say TOPPA actively recruited women on X, formerly Twitter, promising attractive payouts. Posts advertised that performers could keep up to 85 percent of revenue and that hourly earnings above 30,000 yen were possible. More than 100 people reportedly registered with the company. Police suspect the operation collected more than 100 million yen in fees and rewards since February last year, money that was then distributed to performers after platform commissions.

Media reports, citing investigative sources, say the broadcasts were uncensored. The Asahi Shimbun reported that this is the first time in Japan that a business operator who organized these livestreams has been arrested. The case comes as police step up attention to explicit online shows that reach large audiences in real time.

Why police call it public indecency

Japanese law defines public indecency under Article 174 of the Penal Code. An indecent act in a public setting can be punished even if there is no physical crowd in front of the person. Investigators in Tokyo argue that a livestream that displays sexual acts to an unspecified number of viewers is effectively public. In this case, the broadcasts were visible to many unknown users, which police say meets that standard.

Japan also regulates the distribution of obscene materials. Domestic adult video producers traditionally apply pixelation to genital areas to comply with the law. Investigative accounts in this case say the Stripchat streams were uncensored, which increases legal risk for those who create or organize such content in Japan.

What the law says

Article 174 provides penalties of imprisonment for not more than six months or a fine of not more than 500,000 yen, or a minor fine. Prosecutors will need to assess whether the acts were presented in a way that constitutes a public setting and whether each suspect’s role meets the elements of the crime. Courts in Japan have long treated exhibitions to an undefined audience as public, even if the venue is private or online.

How a stream becomes public

A paid site can still be considered public when access is open to any user who pays, or when the audience cannot be identified in advance. Livestreams also remove editorial control. That immediacy, combined with reach across borders, is part of why police treat these events as public exhibitions rather than private recordings.

Inside TOPPA’s operation and the money behind the streams

TOPPA presented itself as an agency that specialized in Stripchat. According to investigators, the company provided a room and equipment set up as a studio, guided applicants on how to broadcast, and split viewer payments. The firm aimed its recruitment at people who wanted flexible work and quick cash, which is why the pitches stressed high revenue shares and hourly pay.

In posts on X that promoted the work, Kitagawa tried to make the process sound simple and profitable. He wrote:

“We give full support to help you earn with a streaming method tailored to each of you” and “Top monthly earnings for 2024: 1.6 million yen.”

Stripchat reportedly hosts more than 100,000 streamers worldwide. Viewers purchase platform coins, then spend them to watch and tip performers. Streamers receive payments based on coins collected, after the site takes its share. According to ads reviewed by Japanese media, TOPPA told recruits they could retain up to 85 percent of revenue. More than 100 people registered at the firm’s office.

An investigative source, describing the messaging that draws in new performers, said the appeal rests on convenience and perceived safety. The source summarized a typical sales line:

“A high paying part time job with no in person meetings, no physical contact and a low risk of being discovered.”

The scale of Stripchat and EU scrutiny

The audience for Stripchat is vast. Similarweb data cited by Japanese outlets shows an average of about 667 million visits per month from May to July. Japan accounted for roughly 20 percent of that traffic, second only to the United States at 21 percent. The platform supports Japanese language content, which helps it reach local users.

In December 2023, the European Commission named Stripchat a Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act (DSA). That status carries extra duties. Platforms of that size must assess and reduce widespread risks from illegal content, provide strong reporting and moderation, and publish detailed transparency reports. They are subject to audits and can face fines if they fail to meet obligations.

In May this year, the Commission opened formal proceedings to examine possible DSA violations by Stripchat. The EU action is separate from the Tokyo case, yet it signals tighter oversight of adult platforms. Under the DSA, penalties can reach up to 6 percent of a company’s global annual turnover for serious non compliance.

A growing trend and recent actions

Police attention to livestreamed adult content is rising. In July, Tokyo investigators acted on a separate case involving four individuals who broadcast on Stripchat without an agency. One suspect was believed to be streaming to help pay a mortgage, according to media reports. Investigators describe a steady increase in people turning to explicit streaming work because the barrier to entry is low and the promise of quick income is strong.

A senior investigator quoted by Asahi compared the growth to illicit part time jobs and said viewers are part of the problem because their payments fuel the activity. Officials also warn about the lasting footprint of recorded content. Even if a show feels private, the images can circulate and remain online as a digital tattoo.

Why the risk feels lower than it is

Streaming feels like performing to a screen in a closed room, which can make the act seem less public and less threatening. The reality is different. A cam show can reach thousands of people in minutes. Tips and requests can push performers into more explicit acts. That combination of reach, money, and speed reduces the control performers think they have.

Cross border enforcement and platform responsibility

Stripchat is based in Cyprus, and its servers and payment systems may sit in multiple countries. Japanese police do not regulate the platform itself. They instead target conduct that occurs in Japan, such as arranging, filming, and performing acts that violate Japanese law.

Cross border investigations rely on digital trails. Recruiting posts on X, studio leases, payment flows, and messages between organizers and performers can be used to build a case. Even when a platform processes payments through third parties, authorities can seek records to map earnings to specific users and times.

Other countries in Asia have also moved against online pornography networks. In Kuala Lumpur in 2024, for example, police arrested several people accused of managing adult websites from luxury apartments, seizing laptops, phones, and internet equipment. That case involved administrators, not local production, yet it underlined how law enforcement is expanding its focus from traditional shoots to digital operations.

What this means for performers and viewers in Japan

For people who are considering streaming explicit content, the key legal risk in Japan comes from public indecency when acts are exposed to an undefined audience. If content is uncensored, risk under laws that ban distributing obscene material can also rise, even if those provisions were not central to the Tokyo arrests that sparked this report. Agencies that promise high shares and easy money cannot remove these legal risks.

Viewers are unlikely to face the same charges. Police statements, however, point to a practical reality. Paying audiences keep these shows running. That draws police attention and can lead to broader enforcement. Studios, agencies, and performers who organize in Japan are the primary focus of investigations.

There is also a human side to the story. Ads highlight flexible schedules and the lack of physical contact. That can appeal to people carrying heavy financial burdens. The downside is that recordings and screenshots can survive long after a stream ends. That lasting record can affect employment, relationships, and privacy for years.

What happens next

The four suspects are expected to be referred to prosecutors for a decision on charges. Under Article 174 of the Penal Code, a conviction for public indecency carries a possible sentence of up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 500,000 yen, or a minor fine. Police have indicated that earnings linked to the broadcasts exceeded 100 million yen. Investigators could review whether anyone else who helped run the studio or recruit performers should be held accountable.

Stripchat has been under examination by EU regulators over its handling of harmful content and user safety. There has been no indication from Japanese authorities that they are investigating the platform itself. The Tokyo case centers on conduct within Japan, and it will test how courts apply public indecency standards to global livestreams.

Key Points

• Tokyo police arrested TOPPA president Yuki Kitagawa and three women on suspicion of public indecency tied to Stripchat broadcasts.
• Investigators say the shows ran from March to August in Tokyo studios and featured two performers.
• TOPPA recruited on X with promises of up to 85 percent revenue share and hourly earnings above 30,000 yen.
• Police suspect more than 100 million yen in viewer fees and tips since February last year.
• Asahi reported it is the first arrest in Japan of a business operator who organized such livestreams.
• Similarweb data shows Stripchat averages about 667 million monthly visits, with Japan at roughly 20 percent of traffic.
• The European Commission named Stripchat a Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act and opened an investigation in May.
• Article 174 treats online displays to undefined audiences as public indecency, with penalties up to six months in prison or a fine.
• Investigators caution that livestreams can leave a lasting digital tattoo for performers.