Tokyo police have arrested five men from Uzbekistan, all in their 20s, on suspicion of robbery and assault in the Shibuya district, Japan Today reported, citing broadcaster NTV, according to Gazeta.uz.
The suspects are accused of conspiring to start a fight with three foreigners—two men and one woman—at around 5:30 a.m. on December 30 last year. They allegedly stole wallets and bags worth a total of 210,000 yen (approximately $1,500). One of the male victims was reportedly injured after being kicked in the face.
According to police, four of the five suspects are in Japan illegally. The group is also suspected of making around 8 million yen (roughly $5,000) by reselling smartphones purchased with credit cards stolen from intoxicated individuals.
These crimes were allegedly committed in at least 10 incidents in the busy districts of Shibuya and Shinjuku between August last year and February this year. Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the group’s involvement in other similar offenses.
One of the suspects, believed to be the group’s leader, is reportedly a 21-year-old mixed martial arts fighter. Japanese media say he has refused to testify until meeting with a lawyer. The other four men deny the charges.
Since gaining independence, the number of Uzbeks in Japan has steadily increased—from 184 in 2000 to nearly 4,000 by 2018—making them one of the fastest-growing foreign communities in the country.
The Uzbek community is the largest from Central Asia and the second-largest from the former Soviet Union after Russia. It is also the fifth-largest Muslim community in Japan, after those from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Malaysia.
Many Uzbeks in Japan are students or work in factories and restaurants, or serve as Russian-language interpreters. Several Japan-Uzbekistan nonprofit organizations have also been established by the community and Japanese volunteers.
As of 2023, the Uzbek population in Japan exceeded 6,500.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 16, 2025