South Korean Man Arrested After Living Illegally in Japan for 33 Years

Japanese authorities have arrested a 72-year-old South Korean man accused of residing in Japan illegally for approximately 33 years. The man, identified as Mun Jong-gi, reportedly entered Japan in September 1993 on a tourist visa that permitted a stay of only 15 days.

According to police, Mun Jong-gi used his younger brother's passport to enter Japan. His stated motivation for remaining in the country was to find work that offered better pay than available in South Korea. Over the decades, he is believed to have supported himself through various day labor and casual jobs, establishing a life without obtaining legal long-term residency status.

The prolonged illegal stay came to light after police received an anonymous tip in June 2026 regarding a suspected undocumented resident. An investigation by the Shizuoka Prefectural Police led to his arrest on August 26, 2026, on suspicion of violating Japan's immigration laws. Mun Jong-gi reportedly admitted to the allegations during questioning.

While the man appears to have lived in Japan for around 33 years, the legal framework for his alleged offense is more complex. Japan's immigration law, revised in February 2000, introduced criminal punishment for overstaying visas. Consequently, police are focusing on the period from February 2000 onwards as the basis for the current criminal charges, rather than the entire duration of his stay since 1993. The exact mechanisms that allowed him to remain undetected for so many years are still under investigation.