Three Chinese Nationals Arrested in Toyama for Allegedly Buying About 1.1 Tons of Stolen Copper Cable for ¥1.18 Million
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.
Toyama Prefectural Police announced on September 14, 2026 that it had arrested a 36-year-old Chinese national who serves as an executive of a scrap-metal buying company in Toyama City, along with a 43-year-old Chinese woman living in the same city, on suspicion of receiving stolen property for compensation. According to the Hokkoku Shimbun and other outlets, the two are suspected of having knowingly purchased roughly 1,100 kilograms of copper cable stolen by suspects in a theft case, paying 1,185,800 yen for it around July 17, 2026 at the metal-buying company the man operates in Toyama City.
The copper cable had been stolen on July 16 of that year from a solar power plant in Himi, Toyama Prefecture, and Vietnamese nationals have already been arrested over the theft itself. According to reports, the Vietnamese suspects presented other people's identification documents when selling the material. On September 15, police also arrested a 37-year-old Chinese woman employed by the same company on the same suspicion of receiving stolen property for compensation, bringing the number of arrests to three. The two arrested earlier were referred to prosecutors that same day.
Current status: The total volume purchased, the overall scope of the transactions, and where the purchased copper was subsequently sold remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Regarding the solar power plant in Himi, Toyama Prefecture, two Vietnamese nationals were arrested in August 2026 on suspicion of stealing about 2.2 tons of copper cable — the first application of the Metal Theft Countermeasures Act in the prefecture. Related article
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.