Otsu Prosecutors Decline to Charge Three Vietnamese Men Over Copper Wire Theft at Mie Solar Plant
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.
The Otsu District Public Prosecutors Office announced by August 31, 2026 that it had decided not to indict three Vietnamese nationals, including a 31-year-old man of no fixed address and unemployed, who had been arrested on suspicion of theft. According to the Kyoto Shimbun and other outlets, the three were suspected of stealing roughly 10 tons of copper wire — worth an estimated 4.8 million yen — from a solar power plant in Shima City, Mie Prefecture. Prosecutors did not disclose the detailed reasoning behind the decision.
Current status: The specific basis for the non-indictment (such as insufficient evidence or suspended prosecution) remains unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Copper-wire thefts targeting solar power facilities involving Vietnamese nationals have been reported in other cases as well, including in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture (related coverage) and Himi City, Toyama Prefecture (related coverage), though whether such cases lead to indictment varies from case to case.
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.