Drug rape and huge scams: a serious warning for tourists in the popular destination

The British Foreign Office has published an official and urgent update warning of an alarming spike in cases of doping drinks and credit card fraud in the main entertainment centers in Japan. According to the reports, many tourists fall victim to a cruel method that leaves them with no memory of the last night, and with debts of tens of thousands in their bank accounts.

The new warning focuses on a method that often begins with a friendly approach by English-speaking “sales promoters” (customer hunters) on the street, known in Japan as “kyakuhiki”. These entice the tourists to enter bars and clubs under promises of cheap drinks or free entry. Once the victims enter the scene, their drinks are spiked with blurring agents that cause loss of consciousness and memory.

The accumulating evidence paints a grim picture: victims describe how they wake up in the morning with no idea what has become of them, only to find that imaginary amounts have been charged to their credit cards while they were unconscious. In some cases, sums exceeding 20,000 pounds (over 90 thousand shekels) were stolen from tourists in one night.

The Japanese police have marked four main risk areas in Tokyo where the phenomenon has become particularly common: Kabukicho, Roppongi, Shibuya and Ikebukuro. The Kabukicho area in the Shinjuku district, famous for its lively nightlife, was identified as the main focus where most foreign tourists were affected. The authorities emphasize that the danger is not limited only to these areas and exists in all entertainment districts in the country.

This scam is reminiscent of the infamous “Goodnight Cinderella” method from Brazil, where gangs of women use powerful sedatives to rob tourists in hotspots like Rio de Janeiro. Now it seems that a similar pattern of action is hitting hard in Japan as well. In addition to the economic damage, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that tourists who got into conflicts with the club staff over the exorbitant charges found themselves arrested by the local police.

To avoid harm, travelers are advised to take strict precautions: under no circumstances should drinks be left unattended and no drinks should be accepted from strangers. The authorities stress that street poachers should be completely ignored, as they often use false pretenses to trap tourists in bars that charge exorbitant “entrance fees”.

It is also recommended to carry only the necessary amounts of money and credit cards for that evening, leave valuables in the hotel safe, and always check the prices on a physical menu before ordering a drink or entering the venue. Although Japan is considered one of the safest countries in the world, the current update reminds that there are also criminal elements who take advantage of the tourists’ sense of security to commit serious crimes under the cover of darkness.