A 72-year-old South Korean man who entered Japan on a 15-day visa in 1993 is now dealing with arrest after allegedly remaining within the nation for about 33 years. The person, recognized in Japanese reviews as Mun Jong-gi, entered Japan in September 1993 utilizing his youthful brother’s passport, in keeping with police. He reportedly got here to the nation hoping to seek out better-paid work than he might get in South Korea and subsequently supported himself by day labour and informal jobs. His lengthy keep ultimately got here to police consideration after authorities obtained details about a suspected unlawful resident in June 2026. He was arrested by Shizuoka Prefectural Police on August 26 on suspicion of violating Japan’s immigration legal guidelines.
South Korean man entered Japan in 1993 on a 15-day keep
Police say the person arrived in Japan in September 1993 and was granted permission to stay for under 15 days. Investigators allege that he entered utilizing his youthful brother’s passport. Relatively than returning to South Korea when his authorised keep ended, he remained in Japan and continued dwelling and dealing there. His reported motivation was largely financial, with police saying he had hoped to earn extra money in Japan than he might in his dwelling nation. Over the next a long time, he’s believed to have established a life in Japan with out acquiring authorized long-term residency standing.
His 33-year keep got here to gentle after a police tip
The person’s unusually lengthy keep was not found by a routine test courting again to the start of his residence, in keeping with the obtainable reviews. As a substitute, police obtained data in June 2026 regarding a suspected unlawful resident. That data prompted an investigation by Shizuoka Prefectural Police, which ultimately led officers to the person in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture. Police arrested him on August 26, 2026, after investigating his immigration standing. He reportedly admitted to the allegations throughout questioning. The circumstances of how he managed to stay in Japan for therefore a few years with out being detected are nonetheless being investigated, and obtainable reviews don’t set up that authorities merely failed to note him repeatedly for all 33 years.
Why police discuss with roughly 26 years of unlawful residence
Though the person seems to have remained in Japan for about 33 years, the authorized timeline is extra difficult. Japan’s guidelines relating to overstaying modified in February 2000, when unlawful residence turned topic to prison punishment underneath the revised immigration regulation. Police due to this fact allege that the offence coated by the present arrest dates from February 2000 fairly than from the tip of his unique 15-day permission in 1993. This implies the person is believed to have lived in Japan repeatedly for round 33 years, whereas the interval coated by the alleged prison offence is roughly 26 years. The excellence is essential as a result of describing the case merely as a “33-year prison overstay” wouldn’t precisely replicate the authorized circumstances reported by Japanese authorities.
Man reportedly survived by informal work
Throughout his years in Japan, the person is reported to have supported himself by day jobs and different informal employment. Police say he had initially travelled to Japan as a result of he anticipated to seek out better-paid work there. Particulars about his employers and the exact nature of his work over the a long time haven’t been absolutely disclosed within the obtainable reviews. It is usually unclear how he managed different points of on a regular basis life, together with lodging and official administrative procedures, throughout such a chronic interval with out legitimate residence standing. These unanswered questions are a part of what makes the case uncommon, however they shouldn’t be full of hypothesis.
Japan had much more overstayers when he arrived
The person’s arrival coincided with a interval when Japan had a a lot bigger inhabitants of people that had remained after their authorised stays expired. Japanese Justice Ministry figures cited in reporting present that Japan had about 298,646 visa overstayers in 1993, the yr he entered the nation. By January 2026, the quantity had fallen to 68,488. The sharp decline displays a long time of modifications in immigration enforcement and Japan’s immigration system. His case due to this fact dates again to a really completely different interval in Japan’s immigration panorama, when the variety of overstayers was a number of occasions increased than it’s in the present day.
Police investigation is constant
The person stays on the centre of an immigration investigation following his August 26 arrest. Whereas he has reportedly admitted to the allegation, an arrest doesn’t itself represent a last court docket discovering of guilt. Japanese authorities will decide the following steps underneath the nation’s immigration and prison procedures. As of the most recent obtainable reporting, there had been no last court docket ruling or reported deportation choice.
