Three men in Osaka have been arrested for allegedly subjecting a male colleague to extreme abuse including forced consumption of feces, electrocution of genitals, and burning of skin.
Osaka Prefectural Police arrested the three suspects on September 12 following the discovery of multiple videos documenting the abuse. The main suspect, 37-year-old Ryo Yamashita, is the former operator of a trading card shop in Naniwa Ward. His two accomplices are former employees Koji Takeuchi and Mitsuteru Hashimoto.
The victim, a man in his 30s who worked as an assistant at the shop, was subjected to what the perpetrators called "punishment games" between early February and February 17 this year. The abuse included forcing the victim to consume instant food mixed with feces, possibly including waste collected from streets.
The suspects also sprayed alcohol on the victim's feet and set them on fire, causing burns. In another instance, they wrapped the victim's genitals in aluminum foil and forced him to insert them into an electrical socket, resulting in electrocution. Additional abuses included shaving the victim's head and applying other forms of electrical shock to his genitals.
Police stated the suspects controlled the victim through violence and threats, including street intimidation such as "I'll poke your eyes out." The abuse was allegedly justified as punishment for poor work performance under the guise of "games."
The case came to light during investigation of another assault case when police discovered multiple videos of the abuse on a confiscated smartphone. While Yamashita remains silent during questioning, Takeuchi and Hashimoto claimed they participated under Yamashita's direction.
Osaka police described the case as particularly severe involving long-term systematic abuse, and are investigating whether additional suspects and victims may be involved.
