Two Chinese Nationals Arrested on Suspicion of Breaking Into Vacant House in Kochi Prefecture
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On July 13, 2026, the Nankoku Police Station of Kochi Prefectural Police arrested two Chinese men who work in the food service industry on suspicion of trespassing, alleging they broke into a vacant house within the prefecture.
Break-ins at vacant houses involving foreign nationals have been reported not only in major metropolitan areas but also in regional cities, and this case appears to be one such example. Current status: The case is at the arrest stage, and whether prosecutors will file charges had not been determined as of this writing.
The offense of unlawful trespass is defined under Article 130 of the Penal Code, punishable by imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 100,000 yen. Vacant houses are said to be easy targets for break-in theft because owners often struggle to maintain oversight of them, allowing intrusions to go undetected for longer.
Theft cases targeting vacant houses involving foreign nationals have been reported across the country, including a case involving a trio of Thai nationals in which 167 incidents were confirmed across 11 prefectures centered on Ibaraki Prefecture (related coverage).