Society

Eleven Suspects Arrested in Saitama Theft Ring

TOKYO, Nov 21 (News On Japan) - A man who hid his face from cameras as he was escorted by police at the Tokorozawa Police Station in Saitama was among the suspects arrested on suspicion of theft. Police say he and three others allegedly broke a window and entered a vacant home in Hitachi City in August 2025, where they stole wristwatches and other items valued at about 15,000 yen.

Seven additional Vietnamese nationals, both men and women, were also taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in a series of thefts across Saitama Prefecture, bringing the total number of suspects to 11. Investigators believe the individuals belonged to three separate criminal groups and may be tied to an even larger number of cases.

More than 100 thefts have been reported in Saitama since October, with total damages exceeding 20 million yen. According to police, many of the vehicles used in the crimes had expired inspections and were equipped with fake license plates. The three groups are believed to have exchanged vehicles among themselves, and investigators have confirmed they had overlapped at several related locations.

Authorities have not disclosed the suspects’ statements but suspect the 11 individuals may have been part of a larger Southeast Asian criminal network operating in the region.

Source: FNN

Okinawa Cancels Student Dispatch Program to China

Okinawa’s Board of Education has cancelled this year’s program to send high school students to China after officials received notice from the host institution that it could no longer accept the group.

Hokkaido Struggles to Dispose of Culled Bears

Culling of bears in Hokkaido has surged to unprecedented levels this fiscal year, with 963 animals killed across the prefecture as sightings and human attacks rise at a record pace, prompting local governments and disposal facilities to struggle with the sheer volume of carcasses awaiting processing.

Japan–China Tensions Deepen as Cancellations Surge

Tensions between Japan and China have escalated rapidly following remarks by Prime Minister Takaichi in the Diet regarding a potential contingency involving Taiwan, prompting Beijing to introduce a series of countermeasures including a call for citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan, with the impact already spreading across the Kansai region’s economy.

Princess Aiko Travels To Northern Laos

Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, attended a luncheon in the ancient Laotian capital of Luang Prabang on November 20th during the imperial couple’s official visit to Laos, where she delivered her second set of remarks since arriving in the country.

Oita Fire Brought Under Control

A large-scale fire in Oita City’s Saganoseki district entered its third day on November 20th, and although authorities declared the blaze “brought under control” late in the morning, firefighters continued battling smoldering hotspots across the affected area as a full extinguishment remained out of reach.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

78% of Couples in Japan Say Their Marriage Is Harmonious

With November 22nd recognized as Good Couple Day, Meiji Yasuda Life released the results of its annual survey highlighting Japan’s perceptions of married life, including the ranking of the country’s most admired celebrity couples.

Akasaka Attacker Changed Shoes Near Scene Two Hours Before Stabbing Woman

A woman in her 40s who was scheduled to perform at a live house in Akasaka was stabbed in the abdomen and other areas on November 16th, leaving her seriously injured, and new information indicates that the man who attacked her had changed his shoes near the scene roughly two hours before the assault.

Eleven Suspects Arrested in Saitama Theft Ring

A man who hid his face from cameras as he was escorted by police at the Tokorozawa Police Station in Saitama was among the suspects arrested on suspicion of theft. Police say he and three others allegedly broke a window and entered a vacant home in Hitachi City in August 2025, where they stole wristwatches and other items valued at about 15,000 yen.

Princess Aiko Travels To Northern Laos

Why Cambodia's Fraud Networks Target Japanese

A series of arrests involving Japanese nationals overseas is drawing renewed attention to the expansion of special fraud rings, with on-the-ground reporting in Cambodia revealing the presence of hidden power brokers whose influence is believed to extend into the country’s political establishment. As scam groups establish bases across Southeast Asia, new details are emerging about how these networks operate and why Japanese citizens have become prime targets.

Oita Fire Brought Under Control

Russian Woman Found Dead in Osaka Apartment, Suspect Released

Osaka prosecutors have decided not to indict a 21-year-old man from Shizuoka Prefecture in a case where the body of a Russian woman was discovered in a multi-unit residence in Osaka City in July, concluding on October 18th that the evidence did not warrant pursuing charges.

Three Bodies Found After Aircraft Crashes in Fukuoka Mountains

A light aircraft carrying three people that departed from Saga Airport on the morning of November 19th was found crashed in the mountains of Hoshino Village in Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture, where emergency crews recovered three bodies whose identities and genders have yet to be confirmed.

< 2 3 4 5 >