Chinese Nationals, Japanese Man Arrested Over Underground Bank Illegally Transferring ¥600 Million in Yuan, Kyoto Police Say
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.
Kyoto Prefectural Police announced on September 9, 2026 that they had arrested three people on suspicion of violating the Banking Act by operating without a license: Meng Haiyan, 57, a Chinese national and company executive residing in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City; Takahashi Mo, 56, a Japanese national and company executive; and Cao Liying, 49, a Chinese national working part-time in Chuo Ward, Osaka City. According to the Sankei Shimbun and other outlets, the three are accused of conspiring to receive roughly 150 million yen in cash from clients on 12 occasions between around October 2023 and March 2024, without a banking license, and transferring a combined 7.377 million yuan to designated accounts in China.
The three are believed to have handled requests from at least a dozen clients, illegally transferring a total of roughly 600 million yen worth of yuan. China caps individuals' overseas remittances and receipts at $50,000 (roughly 7.66 million yen) per year, and such "underground banks" are believed to be used to circumvent that limit. The yen collected was reportedly used for purposes including real estate purchases. Meng is Takahashi's older sister, and the scheme came to light through an investigation into a separate fraud case.
Current status: Whether the three have admitted to the allegations, details of the clients involved, 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.