Arrests in Tokyo Connected to Stripchat Livestreams
In a significant crackdown on illicit online content, Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department has detained four suspects involved in live-streaming explicit activities through Stripchat, a prominent pornography site. The police conducted this operation on September 1 and 2, capturing key individuals from TOPPA, a Tokyo-based enterprise responsible for these broadcasts.
Details on the Suspects and Operations
The arrested parties include Yuki Kitagawa, 28, president of TOPPA, a 24-year-old female manager, and two female performers aged 40 and 34, all implicated in managing or performing in the lewd livestreams. The broadcasts, emanating from a studio within Tokyo's Chuo Ward, featured nudity and sexual acts, spanning from March to August and drew substantial viewership numbers.
Stripchat’s Operations and Impact
Stripchat, the platform in use, is headquartered in Cyprus but provides services globally, including Japanese language support. It runs on a viewer-paid model that also allows direct donations to performers. Over the span investigated, TOPPA attracted more than 100 people as registered users through promotions on the social media platform X, promising up to 85% revenue share and hourly wages exceeding 30,000 yen. This lucrative proposition led to earnings over 100 million yen, distributed partly to the performers involved.
Legal and Compliance Issues
Beyond Japan, Stripchat faces scrutiny from international regulators, including the European Commission. In December 2023, the site was marked as a Very Large Online Platform, necessitating stringent adherence to the Digital Services Act aimed at curtailing harmful online content. Investigations into potential violations of this act commenced by May 2025, spotlighting the platform's content management practices.
Website Traffic Insights
Analysis by Similarweb Ltd., which specializes in website traffic analysis, indicates that Stripchat garnered an average of 667 million visits monthly between May and July. Japan emerged as a significant contributor, accounting for 20% of the site's traffic, ranking second after the United States.
