The South Korean man, aged 72, spent a quiet life in a Japanese coastal city after entering it on a tourist visa. The man was arrested by the Japanese police on August 26, 2026.
Mun Jong-gi, alternatively named Morita Shoichi with his Japanese identity, entered Japan through an air flight journey in September 1993. He used the passport belonging to his brother and got 15-day tourist visa. In the view of the Shizuoka Prefectural Police, he came to Japan in search of employment where he could earn more than what he was getting from his native country.
Anonymous information was received by the police in June 2026. Mun Jong-gi was arrested by the police in the ensuing month. Media of Japan, such as TV Asahi and The Japan Times, revealed his status of unemployment at the time of his arrest and residing in Yaizu under false identity.
The entire case revolves around an important legal point. The law in Japan was amended in such a way that overstaying in the country would be regarded as a crime since February 2000. Hence, Mun has been accused of committing the crime of illegal residence for 26 years after this date, and not for all the 13 years since 1993.
Statistics from Japan give a more general picture. The number of visa overstays reached its highest in 1993, the same year Mun entered Japan, at 298,646. This was reduced to 68,488 by January 2026. There used to be a significant proportion of South Koreans among the overstays.
Police are still investigating how he was able to avoid detection for so long. In such cases, a standard procedure may involve detention followed by possible penalties, deportation, and a ban on return for several years. There has been no public statement about a court ruling or deportation decision as of late August 2026.
The case had gone viral due to the fact that staying illegally in the country for three decades differed little from a 15-day visa extension in the time of a general decline in overstays. Mun’s personal narrative upon arrival at the police station focused on the original financial incentive and day-to-day operations of his work. However, the details of family life, specific places of employment throughout the period, and potential prior interactions with authorities are not part of the known record.
