A 32-year-old Japanese woman has been arrested for allegedly placing more than 2,000 online orders for manga and anime merchandise worth about 4.3 billion yen, or roughly $27 million, without intending to pay for or receive the products.
Police identified the woman as Mayu Yoshida, a restaurant worker from Osaka. Investigators allege she used 238 separate accounts to place repeated orders through Shueisha Inc.’s Jump Characters Store.
Authorities say Yoshida repeatedly used payment methods that allowed her to reserve products without immediately completing payment.
How the fake orders worked
Investigators say Yoshida used Japan’s convenience-store prepayment option for many purchases. Under the system, customers can place an online order and later pay at a convenience store before the deadline.
If payment does not arrive, the order is automatically cancelled. Police allege Yoshida repeatedly let deadlines expire after securing popular merchandise.
She also selected cash on delivery for some orders, then refused to accept the packages when they reached her.
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Between July 2024 and May 2025, Yoshida allegedly placed more than 2,100 orders involving merchandise linked to popular titles including One Piece and Naruto. Reports say the total value of the cancelled orders exceeded 4.3 billion yen.
Shueisha estimates the repeated cancellations caused around 7.5 million yen, or about $47,000, in delivery and related costs. The publisher also said the activity temporarily made some products appear out of stock, potentially blocking genuine customers from buying them.
Stress cited as motive
Yoshida reportedly admitted to the allegations after her arrest on August 4 on suspicion of fraudulent obstruction of business.
“I do not have any resentment towards Shueisha,” she said.
She told investigators that everyday stress had driven the behaviour.
“I have been feeling stressed from daily life, and I felt a sense of satisfaction and refreshment from ordering items before they sold out.”
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Another account of her statement quoted her as saying, “I generally like anime. Ordering the products gave me a sense of satisfying my desires.”
Japanese media reported that Yoshida first used the store years earlier as a normal paying customer. The repeated ordering and cancellation pattern reportedly began around October 2023 and continued for roughly two years.
Shueisha seeks strict action
Shueisha said the cancellations caused financial damage and disrupted normal business operations. The company cited lost sales opportunities, shipping costs and problems with product availability.
The Jump Characters Store sells merchandise connected to major manga franchises published by Shueisha. The company is behind globally recognised titles including One Piece and Naruto.
Shueisha has asked authorities to take strict action, saying the repeated orders affected other customers’ fair chance to buy products.
The case also shows how flexible online payment systems can be abused when a buyer repeatedly creates accounts and blocks inventory without completing purchases.
