Lost in Translation?: “International” Romance Fraud in Japan

• In Event: Economic Crime and Property Crime

Abstract

Research into romance fraud has been expanding as victimisation in fraud emerges as a significant social issue across both Western and Eastern societies. This study aims to shed light on the role of culture in the dynamics of romance fraud. While existing research has offered valuable insights into fraudsters’ techniques (Whitty, 2015; Cross and Dragiewicz, 2018; Carter, 2021) and the financial and emotional toll on victims (Whitty and Buchanan, 2016), the influence of cultural elements, particularly those concerning gender norms and intimate relationships, on fraudsters’ compelling narratives remains unexplored.
This gap is addressed by examining the life stories of thirteen Japanese women who fell victim to romance fraud using the psychosocial method devised by Hollway and Jefferson (2000). The study uncovers the varied struggles they face, partly exacerbated by Japan’s gender inequality, which make irresistable the allure of a desirable life that the fraudsters present. The analysis underscores the importance of understanding the interplay between societal structures and the individual psyches of victims to fully comprehend the workings of romance fraud. Moreover, this study highlights the influence of national identities in transnational financial crimes. The perception of foreignness seems to affect victimization, as evidenced by the Japanese term for the crime, ‘international romance fraud’ (kokusai romansu sagi), and victims’ observations that affirming and romantic behaviors of fraudsters are uncharacteristic of Japanese men. Building on discussions of the construction and perpetuation of the perceived uniqueness of ‘Japaneseness’ (Befu, 2000; Yoshino, 1992), the analysis demonstrates how the entrenched dichotomy between Japanese and non-Japanese in Japanese society facilitates the projection of hopes onto the constructed foreignness by the fraudsters.

Author

• Yutaka Yoshida, Cardiff University