Wanted for overstaying? Japan catches 72-year-old who lived there illegally for 33 years

A 72-year-old South Korean man who entered Japan on a 15-day tourist visa in 1993 has been arrested after allegedly living in the country for 33 years without legal status. Japanese authorities detained a man named Jong-gi in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on August 26, following an anonymous tip received in June about a suspected illegal resident, according to a report in The Japan Times.

Shizuoka Prefectural Police said the man stayed in Japan since his arrival in September 1993 and was working casual day jobs to support himself.

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Brother’s passport and a short-term visa

According to police, the man entered Japan using his younger brother’s passport and was granted a 15-day short-term tourist visa, apparently to look for better-paying work. He reportedly never returned to South Korea after the visa expired and lived under a Japanese alias for decades, avoiding detection while moving between low-wage jobs.

Why the charge dates back to 2000 and not 1993

Although Man’s overstay began in the 1990s, Japanese law did not criminalise visa overstaying until a revised Immigration Control Act came into force in February 2000. As a result, police arrested him on suspicion of illegal residence from February 2000 onwards, covering more than 26 years of unlawful stay under the current legal framework.

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Overstayers in Japan

Japan’s Justice Ministry recorded 68,488 visa overstayers as of January 2026, down from a peak of 298,646 in 1993. Authorities say tip-offs from the public remain a key tool in identifying long-term illegal residents who have integrated quietly into local communities.

The man has admitted to the charge and is expected to face deportation proceedings after the completion of legal processes, police said.

In Japan, deportation proceedings are handled by immigration authorities after the completion of any criminal or legal proceedings. The foreign national may be subject to an immigration examination and, in certain cases, can appeal the deportation decision. If the order is upheld, the person is generally removed from Japan to their country of nationality or another approved destination.