Canada
United States
New Zealand
Australia
Ireland
A notable Twitch streamer ‘JOEYKAOTYK’ of American origin has reportedly been arrested in Japan.
The arrest occurred following a live stream that documented him and a companion exploring the abandoned buildings within the highly restricted zones of Japan’s Fukushima prefecture.
Delving into the Dangerous: A Forbidden Adventure
Japan was subjected to a tremendous natural catastrophe on March 11, 2011.
A severe undersea earthquake measuring 9.0–9.1 on the Richter scale provoked a series of enormous tsunamis, leading to the meltdown of three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.
Termed as the ‘Fukushima Daiichi Accident,’ this incident is considered one of the most severe nuclear disasters in human history.
To protect human life, an ‘exclusion zone’ was established around the plant, where radiation levels are deemed too extreme for human survival.
However, the boundaries set by this exclusion zone did not deter Twitch streamer ‘JOEYKAOTYK‘ and his friend Michael Gakuran from exploring these areas.
The Fukushima Live-Stream: A Twitch Saga Cut Short
On June 19, the daring duo embarked on an expedition of the restricted Fukushima zones, live-streaming their journey as they sifted through deserted buildings and homes.
Many of these buildings seemed untouched by time, presenting the appearance of being recently abandoned by their owners.
The live-stream took a dramatic turn when the pair attempted to enter an inn by opening a window, after which the broadcast abruptly ended.
According to Fukushima TV, the termination of the live-stream was due to their arrest on suspicions of trespassing into a closed building.
Netizen Intervention and Legal Consequences
The police report suggests that the alleged trespassing into a shuttered inn in Okuma Town, Fukushima Prefecture, occurred around 11:20 PM on June 20.
Following the interruption of the live-stream, the netizens who had been watching reported the explorers to local law enforcement, voicing their objections to the trespassing.
This incident is not a first in Twitch’s history, where streamers have faced legal consequences due to their on-stream behavior.
A notable precedent was set in 2018 when a streamer was arrested and held on $75,000 bail after causing a false bomb alarm at his university.
This recent incident serves as a sobering reminder of the legal and ethical boundaries that must be respected, even when adventuring in the pursuit of online content.
While exploring abandoned zones might make for exciting live streams, the potential risk and illegality of such expeditions must always be kept in mind.
