Three Arrested at the Scene, Including Two Chinese Nationals, Over Attempted Fraud Using Fake Stock Investment Scheme in Shizuoka
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.
Shizuoka Prefectural Police announced on September 30, 2026 that they had arrested three people on suspicion of attempted fraud: an unemployed 61-year-old man living in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, and two Chinese nationals aged 40 and 35. According to Shizuoka Shimbun At-S, the three are accused of conspiring to send repeated false messages via a mobile messaging app to a woman in her 70s living in Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City, attempting to swindle cash from her under the pretext of operating funds for a fictitious stock investment.
The 61-year-old is said to have posed as an employee of an investment management company and visited the woman's home to collect the cash. The woman had grown suspicious and reported the matter to police, and officers keeping watch at the scene arrested him there. The two Chinese nationals, believed to have been acting as lookouts, were also arrested at the scene. All three have reportedly denied the allegations. Police believe a separate individual directed the scheme and are continuing to investigate.
Current status: The identity of whoever directed the scheme, whether there were other victims, 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.