23 Indonesian Nationals Apprehended Over Illegal Overstay, Living in Four Apartment Buildings — Ibaraki Prefectural Police
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.
Ibaraki Prefectural Police's Ishioka Station announced on August 25, 2026 that, working jointly with its Foreign Affairs Division and the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau, it had apprehended a total of 23 Indonesian men and women residing illegally in four apartment buildings in Omitama City. According to a report by Ibaraki Shimbun Cross Eye, all 23 were taken into custody by the immigration bureau.
The same station also apprehended 10 Thai nationals and one Laotian national residing illegally in an apartment building in Kamisu City on August 6 of the same year (related coverage), marking a string of large-scale illegal-overstay crackdowns in Ibaraki Prefecture within a short span of time.
Current status: The circumstances of the 23 individuals' entry into Japan, how long they had overstayed, and whether they had been working illegally 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.