Tokyo (HRNW)- Japanese authorities have arrested 72-year-old South Korean national Moon Jong-gi, who had reportedly lived in Japan illegally for nearly 33 years after entering the country on his younger brother’s passport in 1993.
Police arrested Moon on August 26, 2026, in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, following an investigation launched in June after authorities received information about a suspected illegal resident.
According to reports, Moon entered Japan in September 1993 using his younger brother’s passport and was granted permission to remain for only 15 days. He did not return to South Korea after his visa expired and allegedly continued living in Japan without legal residency documents.
Police said Moon has admitted to the allegations, while authorities are investigating how he managed to remain in the country for decades without valid residency documents. Local media reported that he supported himself through various temporary and daily-wage jobs while avoiding detection.
Although Moon’s total stay in Japan spans about 33 years, the current criminal charge covers approximately 26 years. Japan began treating illegal residence as a criminal offense following immigration-law changes that took effect in February 2000.
According to reported Japanese Ministry of Justice data, around 298,646 people were in Japan with expired visas in 1993, compared with 68,488 in January 2026, reflecting a significant decline over the decades.
Authorities are continuing to investigate Moon’s living and employment history and how he managed to evade immigration authorities for such a long period.
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