Tokyo police have obtained an arrest warrant for GaaSyy. He's a YouTuber-turned-absentee Japanese lawmaker who was stripped of his Diet member status Wednesday. He's facing allegations of repeatedly threatening celebrities.

GaaSyy, whose real name is Higashitani Yoshikazu, gained fame for running a gossip channel. A number of prominent figures have filed criminal complaints against him, saying they were slandered or intimidated.

He was elected to the Upper House as a member of an opposition party last year. But he was expelled for failing to appear at any Diet session. He's said to have been staying in the United Arab Emirates to avoid prosecution in Japan.

Sources have told NHK that Tokyo police decided to seek an arrest warrant after GaaSyy failed to respond to their requests for voluntary questioning. Investigators are also looking to arrest an acquaintance who was allegedly involved in video production.

The foreign ministry is expected to order GaaSyy to return his Japanese passport now that the warrant has been issued. It's believed he'll be arrested as soon as he returns to Japan.