Why was Twitch streamer JOEYKAOTYK jailed by the Japanese police for over a month? Reasons explored

Popular IRL Twitch streamer Joey Khao, aka JOEYKAOTYK, has recently been released by the Japanese police after being detained for over a month. In a recent tweet to his followers, Joey revealed he was held in jail by the authorities for about 35 days after he and another content creator and urban photographer Michael Gakuran explored certain ruined and abandoned buildings in the Fukushima prefecture of Japan.

The region was the site of the well-known nuclear disaster back in 2011 when the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was compromised following devastating earthquakes and a subsequent Tsunami. It appears that going inside the abandoned buildings drew the ire of the authorities, who detained both creators for questioning.

Here's a snippet of their adventures posted by a Twitter user who insinuated they had been trespassing without permission.

"Sorry for everyone who I've worried": Twitch streamer JOEYKAOTYK reveals he was detained for 35 days by Japanese officials

In a tweet addressing his followers, JOEYKAOTYK explained he had been detained for 35 days by the Japanese police and apologized for the concern caused. The streamer also announced that he would be talking about his experience on his next stream, saying he had a "lot to say and stories to tell":

However, as it turns out, the IRL streamer is currently facing a ban on Twitch which was initially reported on June 29 by the trusted Twitter bot StreamerBans who noted that it was his second suspension from the platform.

It appears that the Twitch ban has not been lifted as of yet, but fans of JOEYKAOTYK will not have to wait for long as he promised the suspension would be lifted in a couple of days, giving July 28 as the date. The streamer also noted that the reasons for the ban were "garbage and unheard of" and that he has appealed it:

"Glad you're safe": Fellow streaming personalities and fans react to JOEYKAOTYK being released from jail in Japan

Fans of the streamer were understandably worried after he stopped communicating more than a month ago. Fellow streaming personalities such as Jake Lucky and FanFan have also replied to his tweet, noting how relieved they are to know he is safe. Here are some of the reactions from Twitter:

Incidentally, Twitch streamer JOEYKAOTYK's first ban also came during his last visit to Japan back in September of 2022. While the reason for that may be unclear, the current suspension probably has something to do with him trespassing in the ruins of Fukushima.

About the author

Richik has been specializing in streamer content at Sportskeeda for over 2 years. He also manages a group of writers who craft relevant news and features about content creators on platforms like Twitch, Kick, and Rumble. Prior to Sportskeeda, he interned at The Ken and worked as a reviewer at Blacksof where he fact-checked educational content.

Richik’s love for writing, researching, and archiving, along with his inquisitive nature and longstanding love for video games led him to pursue a career as a gaming journalist. He relies on primary sources for accurate information and ensures that his drafts are proofread, fact-checked, and well-researched.

As a child, Richik spent many a summer vacation playing the 1994 Road Rash with his cousins. Although more of an FPS and open-world fiend now, Richik enjoys single-player RPGs with compelling storytelling, such as The Last of Us franchise, and regularly teams up with his friends to play multiplayer titles like Valorant on PC.

Richik enjoys watching streamer and former esports athlete Shroud, and also finds inspiration in MrBeast's journey to become one of the most well-known content creators worldwide. Interviewing English-Somali YouTuber Sharky, a member of the renowned Beta Squad, was a career highlight for him.

When not writing, Richik likes to read, watch a movie or a game of football.

Know More