Tokyo lawyers filed a criminal complaint with the Chiba District Court on Thursday against the president and employees of a security company for assaulting and extorting money as a "guarding fee" from two Tunisians who were refused entry into Japan at Narita Airport.

Under the current system, foreigners who are refused entry into the country by immigration authorities are temporarily held at airport facilities or in designated hotels with guards from private firms.

The lawyers and human rights groups including Amnesty International said they hope the accusation will lead to improvement in the handling of such foreigners and eventually cause revisions to relevant laws.