On July 3, 2026, new reports emerged regarding Defendant Tamaki Nakano.
https://news.web.nhk/newsweb/na/nb-5050035892
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/d2fb485c341a3cba6cd257ef9c2017bedfa0cf12
https://topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp/article/mbc/region/mbc-2779262?fm=latestnews&redirect=1
According to reports by KKB Kagoshima Broadcasting, the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau has filed a criminal complaint with the Kagoshima District Public Prosecutors Office against a consulting firm in Kagoshima City and its representative, Defendant Toshiyuki Nakano, on suspicion of violating the Corporate Tax Act. According to the reports, Defendant Nakano, conspiring with an accomplice, concealed approximately 173 million yen in income starting around 2021 when he served as the head of accounting, evaded approximately 49 million yen in corporate and other taxes, and received a tax refund of 17 million yen through fraudulent accounting practices. The reports also state that the concealed income and tax evasion totaled approximately 240 million yen, all of which was used as business funds.
Furthermore, the same report stated that the Kagoshima District Public Prosecutors Office indicted Defendant Nakano on the same day for tax evasion of approximately 66 million yen.
Regarding defendant Nakano, he has already been indicted in another consumption tax law violation case involving a consulting firm in Kagoshima City. According to past reports, the Kagoshima District Public Prosecutors Office indicted the company and defendant Nakano on charges including consumption tax law violations on June 18, 2026, and re-arrested him on the same day on suspicion of fraud and attempted fraud for allegedly defrauding 10 million yen in subsidies. In addition, it was reported that because an accomplice had moved abroad, authorities had requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue an order to return the passport.
Why did the attack email arrive at precisely this timing?
Previously, our union announced the fact that an individual claiming to be Kenichi Tanaka sent defamatory emails to parties related to our union members, describing Defendant Tatsuki Nakano as his "sole subordinate."
That email was not a direct rebuttal to our union. Nor did it directly contest the content of our union's article. The target was the associates of our union members. In other words, the content was designed to affect the social credibility, business relationships, and livelihood foundation of the union members.
And when our union sent an email to the address listed to verify the facts, the email could not be delivered, returning an "Address not found" error. Only the attacks get through. Yet, when asked for an explanation, the contact address does not exist. As already pointed out in our previous article, this anomaly is unmistakable.
Let me ask you once again.
Why was it precisely at this timing?
- Around the time reports of new indictments and criminal complaints against the defendant Nakano began to surface.
- Following the re-arrest on suspicion of subsidy fraud, attention is now focused on the timing of the next legal procedures regarding custody.
- Amid reports about a request to order the return of a passport concerning an accomplice living abroad, it was also a time when the prosecution of two Fukuoka company executives for fraud was being reported.
- At that exact moment, an email damaging to our credit was delivered to one of our union members' related parties, as if it had been precisely timed.
Our union cannot simply dismiss this as a coincidence.
The possibility that the release or change in custody procedures coincided with the timing of the spear-phishing emails
Our union members and associates include lawyers well-versed in criminal cases, law enforcement personnel, and members of the press.
Experts with such specialized knowledge have expressed the view that, as a general rule, when subsequent reports on related cases do not explicitly state "re-arrest" but only report an indictment, at least in terms of news reporting, no new physical detention can be confirmed, and it is natural to consider the possibility that a change in custody procedures has occurred, including release or proceeding while not in custody.
Of course, our union does not assert at this time the fact that Defendant Nakano has actually been released. The presence or absence of custody, the continuation of detention, and the granting of bail are matters that should be confirmed through official announcements or explanations by defense counsel, investigative agencies, or the like.
However, even so, our union cannot overlook this.
If there is an overlap between the time when the defendant Nakano or individuals associated with him were able to communicate with the outside world in some way and the time when the attack emails were sent to contacts of our union members, that would be extremely serious.
To date, our union has treated emails sent under the name “Kenichi Tanaka” as potential attacks by an unidentified third party.However, given the timing of this recent news report, we believe it is now more likely than ever that the defendant Nakano himself, or one of his close relatives, associates, or collaborators, staged this attack by using a third party’s name to target our union members.
The email address listed in the malicious email could not be replied to. We were unable to verify the identity of the person to whom it belonged. However, the recipient was an associate of one of our union members. It is puzzling that someone who was so deeply involved in the matter—to the point of describing Defendant Nakano as his “only subordinate”—could not, for some reason, provide his own contact information.
This is too convenient.
Who are the “two male corporate executives from Fukuoka” who have been indicted on fraud charges?
What our association is focusing on even more this time is the fact that, as indicated in another report, two male corporate executives in Fukuoka have reportedly been indicted for fraud.
Based on a review of the series of reports, this may be related to the accomplice living abroad whose investigation was advanced by requesting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue a passport surrender order, as had been reported from the beginning. Past reports indicate that the Kagoshima District Public Prosecutors Office, believing that defendant Nakano's accomplice was living abroad, had requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to order the surrender of the passport.
If these two male company executives from Fukuoka are the individuals who were forced to return to Japan in that sequence of events and subsequently arrested and indicted, then this case is not just an incident limited to Kagoshima.
This recent news report aligns very closely with the situation that our union has been raising concerns about for some time.
Of course, our union does not at this time conclude who the "two male corporate officers in Fukuoka" are. Furthermore, we do not conclude that these two individuals are related to Last One Mile, Mr. Makoto Watanabe, or persons related to the company and its surroundings.
However, it is unnatural not to have doubts.
Last Mile Inc., Mr. Makoto Watanabe, and the Fukuoka corporate network
On its official website, Last One Mile Inc. lists its Fukuoka headquarters as "Hakataeki East Panes Building 2F/6F, 2-8-27 Hakataeki East, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture."
Also, the company's official website lists group companies such as Vendor Co., Ltd. and HOTEL STUDIO Co., Ltd. Vendor Co., Ltd. is located at FO HAKATA 3F, 4-15-6 Hakataeki-mae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka, and HOTEL STUDIO Co., Ltd. is located at 2-8-25 Hakataeki-higashi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka. Furthermore, the company profile for HOTEL STUDIO Co., Ltd. lists Makoto Watanabe as the representative director of the company.
Our union is aware of information that multiple corporations believed by our union to be associated with Mr. Makoto Watanabe are registered at the address of 1-15-28 Hakataekiminami, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
You can also confirm from the image of the search results on the National Tax Agency’s Corporate Number Publication website that numerous corporations are listed under the same address criteria.
To reiterate, the mere fact that multiple corporations are registered at the same address does not in itself constitute a violation of the law. However, the report in this case refers to “two male corporate executives from Fukuoka.”
Furthermore, Last One Mile Inc. is headquartered in Fukuoka, and multiple group companies of the same are also located within Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, with numerous corporations practically involved by Makoto Watanabe himself existing at the same address.
In such a situation, our union publicly poses the following questions.
- Are any of the "two male company executives in Fukuoka" being reported this time individuals substantially controlled by Makoto Watanabe, or individuals close to Last One Mile Inc.?
- Are there really no personal, financial, or operational connections between Defendant Tatsuyoshi Nakano, the two company executives in Fukuoka, and the Fukuoka corporate network surrounding Last One Mile Inc.?
- Don't Makoto Watanabe, who is from Kagoshima and an old acquaintance of the defendant Kazuki Nakano and is said to have actively exchanged information with him before his arrest, and Last One Mile Inc. know where the illegally obtained funds totaling over 200 million yen mentioned in this report actually went?
At least on this point, Last One Mile Inc., Mr. Makoto Watanabe, and the parties involved should provide an explanation.
Open Questions to Last One Mile Inc. and Makoto Watanabe
Our association publicly questions Last One Mile Co., Ltd., Mr. Makoto Watanabe, and related parties surrounding the company regarding the following matters:
- First, regarding the "two male company executives in Fukuoka" reported this time, are there any personal, business, or financial relationships between them and Last One Mile Inc., its group companies, Mr. Makoto Watanabe, or any corporate entities associated with him?
- Second, among the multiple corporations registered at 1-15-28 Hakataeki-minami, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, how many corporations are substantially controlled, involved, advised, funded, fronted, or managed by Makoto Watanabe?
- Third, is it not true that neither Last One Mile nor individuals or entities related to it engaged in any transactions, introductions, funding, outsourcing, lending of names, customer introductions, provision of office space, or any other favors with Defendant Toshiyuki Nakano or the two corporate executives from Fukuoka?
- Fourthly, can it be stated definitively that Last One Mile, its current and former officers, current and former employees, affiliates, external collaborators, and individuals associated with Mr. Makoto Watanabe had no involvement whatsoever in the attack emails sent under the name of Mr. Kenichi Tanaka to the associates of our union members?
- Fifth, through what channels was the relationship information of our union members obtained by outside parties? Is there no fact that Last One Mile Inc. or parties associated with them provided the said information to third parties?
- Sixth, is Last One Mile willing to respect legitimate labor union activities, whistleblowing, and the raising of public interest issues? If so, it should make a public statement declaring that it will not tolerate defamation, intimidation, harassment involving related parties, or attacks under a third-party name directed at our union and its members.
At this time, our association does not conclude the involvement of any specific individual or corporation.
However, given the overlap of these facts and timing, it is only natural to raise questions.
And if the listed company Last One Mile is truly unrelated, it should demonstrate its irrelevance not through silence, but through a clear explanation.
Is the Fukuoka company executive arrested for fraud Makoto Watanabe from Last One Mile?
We have previously reported on the close relationship between the accused Nakano and Mr. Makoto Watanabe.
Although not yet published as an article, internal information written by National Tax Agency officials has already spread widely, prominently featuring the names "Last One Mile Inc." and "Makoto Watanabe," along with a detailed account of the illicit fund flows.
And it also states that the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau is already taking action in cooperation with the prosecutors.
Considering this article, the previous context, and reports and leaked information as a whole, I cannot help but suspect that one of the two company executives from Fukuoka who were arrested for fraud along with Defendant Nakano is none other than Makoto Watanabe, the president of Last One Mile.
Of course, this is nothing more than speculation, so it will likely become clear very soon depending on Last One Mile’s response, any additional information they provide, and future media reports.
However, given that this matter has already escalated into a major international incident, and in light of Mr. Makoto Watanabe’s social standing as the representative director of a publicly traded company, the Last Mile Labor Union believes that a sincere and thorough explanation addressing these suspicions is absolutely essential.
Our union will yield neither to unlawful interference in control nor to false flag operations.
Our union hereby clearly states its intention once again.
The Last Mile Labor Union will not yield in the face of illegal interference, threats, intimidation, defamation, harassment involving our business partners, or underhanded attacks carried out under the guise of third parties.
Article 7 of the Labor Union Act prohibits unfair labor practices, such as unfavorable treatment of labor unions or workers by employers, refusal to engage in collective bargaining without just cause, and interference in the management of labor unions.The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare also cites acts intended to prevent or obstruct the formation of labor unions, as well as interference in the day-to-day operations of labor unions and their industrial action, as examples of control and interference.
Of course, whether this specific act constitutes an unfair labor practice, defamation, damage to reputation, obstruction of business, or any other illegal act is ultimately a matter for the competent authorities to determine.
However, the nature of the attacks against our union is clear.
- Instead of refuting the substance of the issue, they attack the whistleblower.
- Instead of addressing the facts of the article, they target the union members' business associates.
- Instead of identifying oneself directly, use a third party's name.
- When asked for an explanation, there is no contact information.
This is an attack on labor unions and an act intended to chill whistleblowing and the raising of matters of public interest.
In recent years, harassment, forced resignation, unfavorable treatment, suppressing whistleblowing, hunting down whistleblowers, and retaliatory personnel actions have become major social issues in Japan's working environment. According to the implementation status of the individual labor dispute resolution system for fiscal year 2024 released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the total number of labor consultations has exceeded 1.2 million for five consecutive years, and "bullying and harassment" remains the most common civil-law individual labor-related dispute for the 13th consecutive year.
Also, regarding the whistleblower protection system, the Consumer Affairs Agency has outlined matters that businesses should comply with and refer to, such as the establishment of internal whistleblower response systems and the designation of whistleblowing response workers, and it has been announced that the amended Whistleblower Protection Act of 2025 will take effect on December 1, 2026.
The trend is not toward crushing whistleblowers. Nor is it toward covering up problems. For a company to be healthy, it is necessary to respect internal reporting, address points raised by labor unions, and adopt an attitude of transparently verifying information, especially the inconvenient kind.
Our cooperative's goal is not to destroy Last One Mile Inc.
The purpose of our union's activities is not to destroy a specific company.
We hope that Last One Mile, Inc. will establish a sound management structure as a publicly traded company, maintain transparency, and become a company that treats its employees fairly.
- Workers being able to work without intimidation.
- Ensure that internal reports are not suppressed.
- Ensuring that those who expose wrongdoing are not isolated.
- Ensuring that antisocial pressures and opaque financial flows are not harbored within the company.
- The obligation of publicly traded companies and their stakeholders to be accountable to shareholders, customers, employees, business partners, and society.
This is what our union is looking for.
Last Mile Inc. itself states on its official website that the Last Mile Group's corporate governance aims to simultaneously ensure efficiency and legality while improving transparency, promptness, fairness, and soundness.
Therefore, rather than being hostile to our union's points, the company should provide the necessary explanations based on the transparency, fairness, and soundness it has proclaimed.
Labor unions are not the enemy of companies.
For honest companies, labor unions are a safety net that picks up the voices of the frontline and sounds the alarm before problems become serious.
What we should really fear is not labor unions.
It is a situation where facts that could be reported to the labor union are left ignored.