"Please do not mention the name of this place in your article," the woman begged during an interview. "Please."
The plea by Kaneko, who also didn't want her given name used, was not that of someone in danger but that of a volunteer trying to care for hundreds of abandoned cats in a small wooded hill in the Kanto region.
One might ordinarily think she would have a better chance soliciting help if she took her plea public, raising awareness and possibly funds for her activities -- but the reality is this option has a dark side.