8 boys arrested for threatening to beat up Akihabara 'otaku' in extortion plot

Eight boys have been arrested for allegedly extorting and attempting to extort money from people on the streets of Tokyo's Akihabara electric store district, police said Thursday. The boys, ranging from age 14 to 18, have told police they targeted 'otaku' — people with a devotion to animation, comics and video games who often come to the area for shopping — because the boys thought those people have money and are powerless.

The eight are suspected of surrounding a 22-year-old man, a part-time worker at a toy store, on a street in the district on the evening of Aug 30 and demanding money after threatening to assault him. They are also believed to have worked in three separate groups to take 500 yen to 3,000 yen from junior high school students who came to Akihabara to see animation character figures during their summer vacations, according to the police."