Japanese police are taking measures to protect people who have sought help after applying for so-called "shady" part-time jobs. The National Police Agency says there were 125 such cases in October and November.

The agency says the number of robberies involving shady job applicants in the Tokyo metropolitan area since August had risen to 19 as of Thursday. A total of 46 offenders have been arrested in connection with 16 cases. The series of crimes has shocked Japanese society.

The perpetrators were recruited through social media posts that promised high pay for easy work. Some suspects told investigators that the recruiters used their personal information to threaten them and force them to commit crimes.

The agency released a video in October that urges such applicants not to commit criminal acts. It also instructed police nationwide to offer appropriate aid to people who request help.

The protective measures include temporarily relocating applicants and their families, and conducting frequent patrols around their homes or relevant sites.

By age group, youths aged 10 to 19 constituted 30 percent of the applicants, while those in their 20s made up 40 percent. People in their 30s, 40s and those over 50 accounted for ten percent each, showing that the problem has been spreading to older people.

The police have analyzed that younger offenders tend to be involved in transporting and disposing of items, while older people often provide the bank accounts and mobile phones used to commit crimes.