Arouca Yutaka (Yutaka Araki)

Biography

2020

A prison term for data transmission to the Russian diplomat

On July 9, 2020 District court of Tokyo found Yutaka Araki guilty of theft of confidential data from the former employer — Softbank company — for the purpose of the subsequent transfer to the Russian diplomat.

The defendant was sentenced to two years of imprisonment with a four-year probation period conditionally and also to a penalty in the amount of 800 thousand yens (about $7.5 thousand).

According to judicial materials, Yutaka Araki collected and gave confidential data to Softbank at the request of the deputy sales representative of Russia in Tokyo Anton Kalinin. In particular, instructions and the technical information on base stations of mobile communication, etc. were stolen. He allegedly received $1.8 thousand for each transfer of such data Being caught on this activity, the manager admitted the guilt and confessed to everything. According to him, he made friends with the Russian and wanted to help it.

The ex-employee of Softbank went to prison for data transmission to the Russian diplomat

The trade secret concerning radio networks which are an important part of social infrastructure was broken — said during process the judge Ryota Akamatsu. — These criminal actions are artful and malicious.

Embassy of the Russian Federation in Japan, commenting on these events earlier, expressed a regret that the Japanese authorities joined "the anti-Russian speculation on a shpionomaniya". The diplomatic mission also emphasized that "communication through media, i.e. notorious "megaphone diplomacy", more than once proved the futility and malignancy".

Softbank assured that information stolen by Araki "was not strictly confidential", and the employee had no access rights to confidential data. The company also said that carried out internal check and did not detect traces of unauthorized access to the systems from the outside, and in connection with the occurred incident Softbank apologized "for causing great concern and inconveniences to the clients and shareholders".^[1]

Arrest on the case of espionage for benefit of Russia

At the end of January, 2020 the Japanese police arrested the former employee of SoftBank Yutaka Araki for theft of confidential information to the operator and transfer to its Russian authorities.

48-year-old Araki is suspected of receiving "commercial secrets from the server in telecommunication company on February 18, 2019 in violation of the law about prevention of unfair competition in Japan", said in the statement of the Tokyo police to which the South China Morning Post edition refers.

The Embassy of the Russian Federation expressed a regret concerning the "shpionomaniya" which struck Japan

By data law enforcement agencies, the former employee of SoftBank transferred the obtained confidential data "to the employee of the trade mission of Russia in Japan aged 50 years are more senior".

SoftBank  said that the transferred data did not bear special value, and customer information and partners in them was absent. Araka had no access to this information. Besides, the company did not detect attempt of cracking of the systems and programs from the outside.

The police consider that   services of entertaining character were rendered to the ex-employee of SoftBank in exchange for information. At the same time the authorities will not exclude that transfer of confidential data happened  earlier.

The detainee admitted the guilt. The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs considers that case can be considered connected with the Russian espionage.

According to the Kyodo News agency with respect thereto law enforcement agencies of Japan called for questioning in the Japanese Foreign Ministry of two employees of the trade mission who are suspected of participation in an incident.^[2] 

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