Number of Short-Term Foreign Visitors Involved in Scams in Japan Triples, Fraud Schemes, Investment Fraud Top Activities

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:48 JST, January 8, 2026

The number of foreigners exposed for involvement in fraud during short-term stays in Japan reached 59 from January to October last year, nearly tripling compared to the same period in the previous year, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned from National Police Agency data.

The number is a provisional figure.

Amid intensified crackdowns on scam bases in Southeast Asia, Chinese-affiliated “anonymous and fluid criminal groups,” known as “tokuryu” in Japanese, are suspected of repeatedly using a hit-and-run tactic: sending a “receiver” to collect money from victims and then having them immediately return to their country.

Scam bases operated by Chinese-affiliated tokuryu groups are scattered throughout Southeast Asia. While a large base in Myanmar and facilities in other locations were raided last year, criminals are continuing to act. The NPA plans to newly designate investigators in charge of tokuryu scam cases in Southeast Asia and strengthen cooperation with each country.

According to a tally by the NPA, the breakdown of the 59 individuals was as follows: 42 were involved in fraud schemes such as fake police scams, up 23 from the same period in 2024, and 17 were involved in social media-based investment fraud or romance scams, up 16.

By country and region, 34 individuals were from Malaysia, 22 from China and Taiwan, and one each from South Korea, Vietnam and Singapore.

By role, 50 individuals were “receivers,” who collect money, while others acted as cash transporters. They came to Japan lured by offers on social media to perform work such as “transporting goods in Japan.”

The NPA believes that, following the crackdown on scam bases, some Chinese-linked tokuryu groups have intensified their use of this method as a quick way to collect cash.

A “relay method” involving multiple intermediaries for the collection of cash is spreading. The move suggests that criminal organizations may be broadly recruiting individuals from overseas to secure personnel who work at the grassroots level.

According to reports from organizations such as the United Nations and the International Criminal Police Organization, fraud bases scattered across Southeast Asia launder hundreds of billions of dollars annually through underground banks and similar channels.

Criminal organizations are refining their tactics by adopting advanced technologies, including automated calling services, translation software and generative AI.

Within Japan, recruiters exist who receive compensation from Chinese-linked organizations to send “callers” — people who make phone calls to deceive victims — to overseas scam hubs. Such hubs often control workers through violence, raising concern about human trafficking.