In the early afternoon of Sept. 13, a 70-year-old resident of Kumagaya in Saitama Prefecture returned home to find a young foreign man standing in front of the entryway. He seemed agitated and spoke in broken Japanese.

"Call the police. I have no money," the stranger said, gesturing with his thumb and pinky as if making a phone call and showing the older man his wallet.

"He appeared distressed since he couldn't explain himself," the resident later told the police, who arrived on the scene after he had informed officials at a nearby fire station. The young man, dressed in a dark red shirt and navy blue trousers, bowed to his elder in apology.