It’s often the quirkiest trends that catch one’s eye, and today’s trending topic is quite something. Presently, X / Twitter in Japan is abuzz with the term 私人逮捕, which translates to “citizen’s arrest.” Now, before you start imagining a Japanese version of a superhero film where ordinary citizens swoop down on evil perpetrators, let me set the scene for you.

On September 21, 煉獄コロアキ (Rengoku Koroaki), a controversial influencer known for his fiery antics (no pun intended), found himself in the limelight once again. The reason? A video he posted showcasing him physically detaining a woman who allegedly resold tickets related to a boy group of Johnnys (which has just been discussed in this post). The clip, showcasing our influencer hero (well, self assigned vigilante?) pulling and grabbing the woman as she desperately tried to escape in a taxi, raised quite a few eyebrows. And just between us – the taxi driver probably had the worst day at work, ever.

This isn’t Japan’s first rodeo with “private justice.” Other instances involve so-called “crime-fighting activists” and “Patrol YouTubers” publicly apprehending individuals for various offenses and sharing the evidence on social media. But when the pursuit of justice looks more like a scene from a reality TV show, one can’t help but ask - where do we draw the line?

Another spicy meatball in this saucy saga features a once-incarcerated leader of a fraud group, フナイム (@funaim5). This former “bad boy” turned apparent vigilante posted a video on X / Twitter last August, showing him putting someone in a headlock over alleged ticket scalping of the idol group, Nogizaka 46. A month later, he shared another juicy update: a photo of a woman (face concealed) being interrogated by police over similar accusations.

While some praise these enthusiastic citizens for tackling the ticket resale problem head-on, others express deep concern over the heavy-handed tactics and public shaming. Indeed, in the age of instant online feedback, it’s worth pondering: Are these acts of genuine concern or merely another grab for 15 minutes of fame? The 私人逮捕 trend has truly placed a spotlight on the broader question: when does citizen’s arrest turn into citizen’s assault?

Well, for today’s takeaway we should agree on one thing, don’t try reseeling tickets in Japan, at least not in public when there might be some influencer holding a smartphone waiting for the next target for another buzzing video.