Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru suggested the possibility of using a supplementary budget, if necessary, to tackle recruitment for shady jobs via social media.

He told reporters at his office on October 22 that the government will strengthen its public relations activities calling on people not to respond to social media ads that could lure people into questionable jobs that involve committing crimes.

The move came after Ishiba met with National Police Agency chief Tsuyuki Yasuhiro and received a briefing about a recent string of crimes such as robbery in the greater Tokyo area.

In a case of attempted burglary at a house in Chiba Prefecture, one of the suspects told investigators that he searched for "fund procurement" on social media and applied for what turned out to be a shady job.

Ishiba said the government will work on reinforcing the police consultation system and the monitoring of social media posts.