Chinese Man, 39, Arrested for Allegedly Sending 480,000 Phishing Emails From a Hotel Room in Kobe; 2.4 Million Addresses Stored
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.
Hyogo Prefectural Police announced by October 15, 2026 that it had arrested a 39-year-old Chinese national living in Kobe on suspicion of trespassing on a structure and fraudulent obstruction of business, alleging he set up a computer in a hotel guest room in Kobe and sent large volumes of phishing emails impersonating a credit card company. According to Sun Television, the man is suspected of conspiring with others in May 2025 to install the computer in the hotel room and send the phishing emails using the room's Wi-Fi.
The seized computer contained records of about 480,000 phishing emails having been sent, along with some 2.4 million stored email addresses. The man was separately arrested on suspicion of computer fraud for allegedly using another person's credit card information to make fraudulent purchases worth about 470,000 yen. He has not indicated whether he admits the allegations, and police are investigating on the belief that others were also involved.
Current status: The scale of personal data obtained, the overall total of losses, and the identification of his alleged co-conspirators remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
On phishing and fraudulent payments, Vietnamese nationals were also caught in September 2026 over fraudulent smartphone contracts and resales. 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.