72-year-old South Korean man arrested in Japan for overstaying 15-day tourist visa by 26 years

A 72-year-old South Korean man has been arrested in Japan for allegedly overstaying his visa for more than 26 years, after police received a tip in June, The Japan Times reported, citing Shizuoka Prefectural Police.

The man reportedly entered Japan in September 1993 using his brother’s passport on a 15-day tourist visa, with the intention of finding better-paying work. He was arrested on Wednesday and is believed to have remained in Japan since his arrival.

Police arrested him for allegedly overstaying from February 2000, when a revised immigration law made visa overstaying a punishable offence. He told investigators that he had been working day jobs and has admitted to the charge.


The man lives in Yaizu in Shizuoka Prefecture.

According to Japan's Justice Ministry, 68,488 people were overstaying their visas as of January 2026. The figure is substantially lower than the 298,646 overstayers recorded in 1993, when the number peaked.