There’s a papa (a male supporter) I want to cut ties with. When I tried to end things recently, he flew into a rage—or rather, threatened me.

It sounds like you’re going through a really difficult situation, and I agree with the other answers about what you should do specifically. That said, I can’t help wondering what your relationship with him was like before things got this far. From the way you’ve worded your post, you seem to use the word “cut him off” rather casually. Is it possible you may have treated your papa (a male supporter) as if he were somewhat beneath you? (I’m sorry if that came across as offensive. If that isn’t the case, please disregard this answer.)

Do you still have your LINE chat history? If so, take screenshots of everything and save them first. Just in case, save backup copies on a computer or external storage as well. Password-protect them so no one else can view them. Then take the evidence to your local police station and consult the Community Safety Division. Honestly, that’s really your only option here. Consulting a lawyer would just waste time and money in this case, so it isn’t necessary. The police may seem intimidating, but with a situation like this, they’ll act promptly and be helpful. Specifically, the police will contact the man and make him sign a written pledge promising that he will never engage in stalking again. That should make him back off. As for the National Tax Agency: have you been depositing your papa-katsu allowance into your own bank account? If so, an investigation might be launched if someone reports it. You might have to pay taxes, but it wouldn’t put you in the red. The police will not contact the tax office. Apparently, the police have a duty of confidentiality regarding anything they learn during their investigation, even if it involves tax evasion. So go ahead and consult them without worrying. P.S. It says the questioner is a “Universe female member,” but is her papa a male Universe member as well? In cases like this, I imagine the police often contact Universe to request the man’s identity. If that happens, would Universe cooperate? Was there something about that in the membership agreement when you joined?

I tend to believe people are basically good at heart, so I can’t help wondering, “Do people like this really exist, or is this made up?” Also, truly scary people act out of nowhere, without any warning or threats. So you could argue that as long as they’re only saying it, it’s relatively harmless. People who really mean to do something usually don’t announce it—they do it without saying anything, so the other person doesn’t become wary. People who warn you beforehand usually aren’t all that serious.

As other respondents have said, the most important thing is to carefully preserve evidence. I believe his actions may already constitute a violation of Japan’s Stalker Regulation Act. The Metropolitan Police Department’s website says: > Under this law, the following acts, from A through E, carried out against a specific person or their family members for the purpose of satisfying romantic or other favorable feelings toward that person, or resentment arising from those feelings not being fulfilled, are defined and regulated as “stalking or unauthorized acquisition of location information.” It also lists: **C. Demands to meet or enter into a relationship** For example: - Demanding that you meet, enter into a relationship, reconcile, or do something else you are not obligated to do. - Demanding that you accept gifts. It also says that stalkers persistently pressure their victims to meet or enter into a relationship. https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kurashi/higai/dv/kiseho.html At the very least, I think the police would issue a warning, and there is also a possibility that they could issue a restraining order. You should take your evidence to the police and consult with them. There have been many cases in the past where the police failed to act even after receiving stalking complaints, and the victims subsequently died. I think the police are more likely to take proper action now. The website also says: > If you feel anxious because you are being stalked, do not hesitate to consult the police. They will help you find the best solution for your situation. Please consult your nearest police station before the situation becomes more serious. > “I was also going to report you to the National Tax Agency, so your home might be searched.” Since it is currently tax-return season, one option would be to pay the gift tax in advance. A final tax return is filed for income received from January through December of the previous year, generally between February 15 and March 15. (This year, it was February 16 through March 16. I guess the dates shift when March 15 falls on a Sunday or public holiday.) If you go to the tax office, there should be a consultation desk for filing tax returns. You can fill in whatever you understand yourself and ask the staff about anything you are unsure of. These days, the forms and instructions are quite user-friendly, so I think they are designed to be understandable even without asking questions. https://www.keisan.nta.go.jp/kyoutu/ky/sm/top#bsctrl Gift tax has a basic exemption of ¥1.1 million, so there is no need to file if you receive ¥1.1 million or less in a year. For example, if you received a ¥300,000 allowance each month: ¥300,000 × 12 = ¥3.6 million ¥3.6 million − ¥1.1 million = ¥2.5 million ¥2.5 million × 0.15 (15%) − ¥100,000 = ¥275,000 in gift tax (I may have made a mistake in the calculation, so be sure to check it yourself.) The idea is basically: since you received ¥3.6 million, paying roughly ¥275,000 to the government should be reasonable. That is how taxes work in general. > “I tried to block him, but I was too scared to actually do it.” Blocking him might make him lash out, but any further threats afterward could also serve as evidence. So it may be better not to block him while he is angry. > “papa-katsu is subject to income tax, not gift tax.” I see. Now that you mention it, it does make sense that it would be income tax if the arrangement is structured as receiving money in exchange for dates under a contract. In other words, rather than receiving an allowance, you would treat it as work. (If the income is classified as miscellaneous income, however, the discussion about expenses below would no longer apply.) In that case, one possible strategy would be to file it as income tax at first, then start claiming expenses from the following year to reduce the taxable income. The reason not to do that from the first year is that tax offices scrutinize expenses fairly closely. If they turned around and said, “Isn’t this actually a gift?” it could become difficult from that point onward, involving objections or even litigation. So perhaps you could establish the fact that you filed it as income tax without claiming expenses and were not questioned, then start including things like shoes and clothing used for dates as expenses from the following year. Incidentally, if something purchased as a business expense is also used privately, you have to apportion the cost according to the usage ratio. So you would need to avoid wearing items bought as expenses anywhere except on dates and keep a complete record of the dates and times you wore them as evidence. That said, expenses are apparently difficult for individuals to get approved and are often rejected. It may be better to register as a sole proprietor and file a blue-form tax return.

Stay calm. It’s probably just an empty threat, and there’s a good chance they won’t actually do anything. However, be prepared while also considering the worst-case scenario, such as them becoming a stalker. Here’s Gemini’s advice: 1. Save all evidence Never delete your messages with this person. They may be your strongest protection. - Screenshots of LINE messages and emails: Save every threatening message, such as “I’ll expose you” or “I’ll hire a private investigator.” - Call recordings: If they call you, record the conversation with a recording app or another phone. - Social media profiles: Keep a record of their account information as well. 2. Make it clear that you reject them, then cut off contact Dragging out the conversation may anger them or give them an opening to take advantage of you. Send just one message: “If you continue threatening me, I will consult the police and a lawyer.” After that, ignore all further contact. - Never try to settle it with money: Once you pay, they may see you as an easy target, and their demands could escalate. 3. Consult a professional The most dangerous thing is trying to deal with this alone. - Consult the police (if there is an immediate risk) If they show signs of coming to your home or contacting your family specifically, immediately consult the Community Safety Division at your nearest police station. If it’s difficult to say “papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan),” you can simply say that you’re being threatened over a dating-related dispute. Even creating a record of your consultation by calling #9110 can help the police respond more quickly if something happens. - Consult a lawyer (if you want to stop them from contacting your workplace or family home) The most effective approach is to have a lawyer send them a formal warning letter. They may think they have leverage because you don’t want anyone to find out, but once a lawyer gets involved, they realize the risk of being arrested or sued, and in most cases they back off. Recently, more law firms have begun specializing in resolving papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) and affair-related disputes, with lawyers who support women in these situations. 4. The truth behind the “private investigator” threat They say they’ll “use a private investigator,” but unless there is a legitimate reason—such as investigating infidelity or preparing for a lawsuit—it is prohibited under Japan’s Private Detective Services Act for an investigator to follow an individual around, create a report exposing them at work, and leak that information to a third party. In many cases, it’s just a bluff intended to frighten and control you. What you should do now: First, gather all the evidence of the threats so far into an album on your phone and save it with a lock.

Go to the nearest larger police station immediately and ask for the Community Safety Division. Before you go, summarize what happened on one A4 sheet and take screenshots of all the threatening LINE messages. Provide whatever information you have about the other person. This won’t necessarily solve everything, but it’s something you can do right away and may be effective. You don’t have to write or say anything you don’t want to. However, you must not lie. For example, if they ask, “Is this papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan)?” don’t categorically deny it. If you absolutely don’t want to admit it, say that you’d rather not answer. However, this may leave a negative impression. The Community Safety Division generally accepts visitors from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Avoid going during lunch hours.