16 Minors Charged in Okinawa Pref. Over Alleged Theft of ¥100 Mil. from Vacant House

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:04 JST, January 17, 2026

NAHA — Papers on 16 teenagers in Okinawa Prefecture have been sent to prosecutors for allegedly trespassing in a vacant house and stealing a total of about ¥100 million in cash from the building last year, it has been learned.

The 16 junior high and high school students were suspected of having broken into a house in Naha on several occasions from May to July and stealing banknotes worth ¥100 million that had been left there. All the minors have admitted to the charges, according to investigation sources.

Some of the teenagers told the police that they trespassed in the house to “test [their] courage,” adding they took the cash to spend it for their own enjoyment, according to the sources.

Papers on the teenagers were sent to the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office in November. Their cases were then referred to Naha Family Court on Dec. 25 for a decision on the misconduct.

Police launched investigations into the minors after receiving tips on them for having large amounts of cash, according to the sources.