Seven Japanese Detained or Taken in Custody by Thai Police Over Myanmar-Based Fraud Group

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:02 JST, February 20, 2025

Seven Japanese nationals were detained or taken into custody by Thai police in connection with a case in which a Japanese juvenile was forced to join a scam-operating group based in Myawaddy, eastern Myanmar, it has been revealed.

Six have returned to Japan and the remaining person is still in Thai custody, the government said at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives. There were two high school students among the seven.

The government believes that there may be other Japanese nationals in Myanmar.

“We will heighten our vigilance to ensure that Japanese nationals are not forced to participate in fraud overseas,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said.