Tokyo police mistakenly arrest Filipino man for allegedly overstaying

Police officers assist a woman in front of a police box in Tokyo. | REUTERS photo

by KYODO
March 3, 2024

Tokyo police mistakenly arrested a Filipino man Saturday for allegedly overstaying his visa even though he was in the process of renewing his residence card, police said. The technical intern in his 30s went to a police station voluntarily after an officer approached him at Ueno Station in Tokyo and asked him to show his residence card, which had expired. The man was quoted by police as saying he had "forgotten to apply."

Police released the man and offered an apology about an hour after arresting him at around 7:10 p.m. Saturday, they said.

Prior to his arrest, police contacted the Immigration Services Agency about the man's residence status via the Metropolitan Police Department's section that handles international crime.

Despite the agency responding that the man was in the process of renewing his residence card, he was arrested, police said.

Individuals in the process of renewing their residence status are deemed legal residents and the information is usually reflected on their cards. The man's card did not have the information as he had apparently applied online, they said.