Tokyo – The president and an executive of the company operating the “MoMuri” retirement brokerage service, along with the company itself, have been indicted on charges of violating Japan’s Attorneys Act, prosecutors announced February 24.
Shinji Tanimoto, 37, president of Albatorus Co., and Shiori Tanimoto, 31, a company executive, are accused of illegally brokering clients to attorneys. The company, Albatorus, similarly faces charges in the case. The indictments follow a probe into the practice of connecting individuals seeking to leave their jobs with legal representation.
In a related development, three attorneys affiliated with MoMuri have been sent to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Attorneys Act, according to reports from February 5. Jun Kajita, of the Ocean Law Firm, and Hideki Sato, of the Miyabi Law Firm, were among those sent for review, along with a male dispatch employee, 43, from Tochigi Prefecture.
According to the indictment, the Tanimoto pair allegedly referred 174 people to Kajita and Sato between June 2023 and February 2025, despite not being qualified to do so, with the intent of receiving compensation. The case highlights the legal boundaries surrounding employee resignation assistance and the role of legal brokers.
Investigators allege that approximately 220 individuals were referred to the two law firms between 2023 and March 2025, resulting in roughly 3.7 million yen (approximately $24,600 USD) in payments. Attorneys reportedly paid 16,500 yen (approximately $110 USD) per referral.
Kajita reportedly told investigators, “Ms. Tanimoto asked if it was possible to receive a referral fee if I took on a client, and I replied that it might be possible under a different name than a referral fee.”
Police arrested the Tanimoto pair on February 3 on suspicion of unauthorized legal activity. The move underscores the authorities’ focus on regulating the burgeoning retirement brokerage industry. Both the Tanimoto’s and the law firms have not yet issued a statement regarding the charges.
More details on the case can be found here.
Further reporting on the indictments is available from Jiji Press.
Nikkan Sports also covered the initial document submissions to prosecutors.
