Vietnamese National, 20, Arrested as Suspected Ringleader in Scheme Stealing an Estimated 900 Million Yen in Smartphones
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
Aichi Prefectural Police announced on July 30, 2026 that it had arrested a Vietnamese national, 20, identified as Chan Van Hun, on suspicion of theft, among other charges. According to reports by NTV News NNN and other outlets, he is accused of conspiring with accomplices in November of the previous year to impersonate account holders at online mobile phone shops, changing addresses and completing purchase procedures to fraudulently obtain two smartphones valued at approximately 340,000 yen.
Four people believed to have served as money collectors in the scheme have already been arrested, and Chan is believed to have played a role in giving instructions and handling payments. Whether he admits to the allegations has not been disclosed, but police are investigating Chan and his accomplices on the theory that they stole smartphones worth at least 900 million yen in total.
Current status: The full scope of the damages, the extent of additional offenses, and whether the case will be referred for prosecution remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.