Hyogo police detain or counsel about 25 young people over 'Shorinji' police-box pranks
In short
Hyogo prefectural police said about 25 people, from lower-grade elementary pupils to high school students, were detained or counselled over pranks in which they entered police boxes shouting "Shorinji" or made prank 110 calls. The acts spread through social media videos called "Shorinji Racing". Police warned that such acts can delay help for people who need it.
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Hyogo prefectural police detained or counselled about 25 people over pranks at police boxes in which participants shouted "Shorinji", NHK and Nippon TV reported on 21 October. NHK, citing police, said the group included lower-grade elementary pupils, and that police said they would enforce the law thoroughly. Nippon TV said the group ranged from lower-grade elementary pupils to high school students. [ 1 , 2 ]
According to Nippon TV, the acts continued from September into October. They included entering police boxes while shouting "Shorinji", scattering juice and making 110 emergency calls. Livedoor News said that in some calls the caller shouted "Shorinji" as soon as the line connected and then hung up. [ 2 , 5 ]
The Asahi Shimbun reported that police have confirmed nearly 50 similar acts in Hyogo since September. Police linked about 25 boys and girls, from elementary to high school age, to 10 of them and are questioning them voluntarily on suspicion of violating the Minor Offenses Act, the paper said. Security cameras showed that young people entered police boxes in places including Kobe and the eastern part of the prefecture when they were unattended, according to the juvenile section, the paper said. [ 4 ]
Videos of the acts spread on social media under the name "Shorinji Racing", and the young people are believed to have been influenced by them. Asahi said many admitted involvement. Some said they did it for fun or imitated YouTube or social media, and one said filming had not gone well and entered twice. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Hyogo police said the acts can delay responses to urgent incidents and accidents and can affect lives, and asked people not to do them. [ 2 , 4 ]
Livedoor News said the origin of the word "Shorinji" in this context remains a mystery and that no link to China's Shaolin Temple or Japan's Shorinji Kempo has been confirmed. It said some video streamers are said to have started the acts and that one theory traces the name to a social media account used by a delinquent group in Osaka. It also said similar acts have been confirmed in Aichi, Mie and Osaka prefectures, with arrests made. [ 5 ]
Why it matters
Hyogo police say the pranks can delay responses to urgent incidents and accidents, which can affect lives. Outlets also report similar acts in other prefectures, so the matter is not confined to Hyogo.
Key facts
- Hyogo prefectural police detained or counselled about 25 people, ranging from lower-grade elementary pupils to high school students. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The acts involved entering police boxes, shouting "Shorinji", scattering juice and making prank 110 calls. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Videos of the acts spread on social media under the name "Shorinji Racing". [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- The Asahi Shimbun reported that police confirmed nearly 50 similar acts in Hyogo since September and linked the roughly 25 young people to 10 of them. [ 4 ]
- Police are questioning the young people voluntarily on suspicion of violating the Minor Offenses Act, Asahi reported. [ 4 ]
- Police asked the public not to do this, saying it can delay responses to urgent cases and affect lives. [ 2 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Hyogo police detained or counselled about 25 people, including lower-grade elementary pupils, over the police-box pranks. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- The acts were filmed and spread on social media as "Shorinji Racing". [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Hyogo police warned that the acts can delay responses to urgent cases and affect lives. [ 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Why participants shout "Shorinji". Livedoor News said the origin of the word remains a mystery and that no link to China's Shaolin Temple or Japan's Shorinji Kempo has been confirmed.
- Who started the acts. Livedoor News said some video streamers are said to have started them, and one theory traces the name to a social media account used by a delinquent group in Osaka; this is not confirmed.
- Whether the count is 25 people or more than 20. NHK, Nippon TV and Livedoor give about 25 people; the Asahi headline says more than 20 young people are under investigation while its text says about 25.
- Arrests in other prefectures. Only Livedoor News says similar acts were confirmed in Aichi, Mie and Osaka and that arrests have been made; no other document states this.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- NHK reports that 25 people were detained or counselled in Hyogo, including lower-grade elementary pupils (21 October). [ 1 ]
- Nippon TV reports about 25 people from elementary to high school age were detained or counselled (21 October). [ 2 ]
- The Asahi Shimbun reports nearly 50 similar acts since September and about 25 young people questioned voluntarily (21 October). [ 4 ]
- Livedoor News reports on the unclear origin of the word and on similar acts in other prefectures (22 October). [ 5 ]