By
Chy okeke
Shizuoka Prefectural Police have arrested a 72-year-old South Korean man for allegedly remaining in Japan illegally for more than 26 years, following a tip received in June.
Police said the man entered Japan in September 1993 using his brotherโs passport on a 15-day tourist visa. He came to the country seeking better-paid work and settled in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture.
He was taken into custody on Wednesday.
Authorities noted that overstaying was not a criminal offense in Japan until February 2000, when immigration law was revised. As a result, police said the charge relates to the period he allegedly stayed beyond that date.
The suspect told investigators he has been doing casual day jobs during his time in Japan and has admitted to the allegation.
According to data from the Justice Ministry, the number of visa overstayers in Japan stood at 68,488 as of January 2026. That figure is a sharp drop from 1993, when overstayers peaked at 298,646.
