South Korean Man Arrested for Overstaying Japan Visa by 26 Years
A 72-year-old South Korean man has been arrested in Japan for overstaying his visa by an astonishing 26 years. He had entered Japan in September 1993 on a 15-day tourist visa, using his brother's passport to try and find better-paying work.
However, he ended up staying long-term, working at various day jobs and eventually living in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture. According to the Justice Ministry of Japan, there were 68,488 people overstaying their visas as of January 2026.
The man's arrest comes after police received a tip in June, and he has admitted to overstaying his visa since February 2000, when a revised immigration law made it punishable. The figure of 68,488 is substantially lower than the 298,646 recorded in 1993, when the number peaked.
The man's case highlights the complexities of Japan's immigration system and the challenges that come with enforcing laws around visa overstaying.