THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
June 10, 2023 at 16:45 JST
The Emirates flight from Dubai carrying Yoshikazu Higashitani lands at Narita Airport on June 4. (Hikaru Uchida)
The United Arab Emirates earned Japan’s gratitude by moving swiftly to deport a former Upper House member accused of threatening behavior toward Japanese celebrities.
Sources with inside details on the investigation into Yoshikazu Higashitani, better known as the YouTuber GaaSyy, described how he was hustled away from Dubai and put on a plane bound for Japan, where he was arrested on arrival June 4.
They said Higashitani was about to leave the complex where he resided to dine with two friends on June 3. Local law enforcement officials surrounded the car the group was in and ordered Higashitani to get out. When he did not comply, local authorities physically removed him from the vehicle. His two companions were allowed to go on their way.
Wearing a T-shirt, shorts and sandals, the only possession Higashitani had on him was a mobile phone, which was seized by authorities. He was taken to a local law enforcement facility prior to being rushed to Dubai International Airport.
The authorities returned his mobile phone, gave him an airline boarding pass and made sure he boarded the aircraft, an Emirates flight departing 2:40 a.m. on June 4 bound for Narita.
The Japanese Consulate-General in Dubai handed Higashitani travel documents because he did not have a valid passport.
Shortly before the plane took off, local police contacted their counterparts in Japan to ensure matters were taken care of when Higashitani landed at Narita.
Higashitani was arrested upon arrival at Narita on suspicion of threatening three individuals by suggesting he would damage their reputations on YouTube.
Because Higashitani showed no signs that he would voluntarily leave the UAE, high-ranking officials of the National Police Agency and Metropolitan Police Department visited in late May to confer with their counterparts.
Less than two weeks later, local authorities had placed Higashitani on the plane for Japan.
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