A Peruvian passenger in transit at Nagoya airport illegally left the airport and toured the city Dec. 13 before turning himself into airport security later that night, local immigration officials said Thursday.
The man, 23, was deported Dec. 18 on suspicion of violating immigration laws for entering Japan without a visa. The man was on his way back to Peru after being expelled from South Korea for overstaying, the officials said.
The security breach has raised doubts about the airport's security measures, since it was supposed to have been on maximum alert since the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
The officials said the man arrived at the airport around 12:40 a.m. to change planes. Around 5:30 p.m. he left the passenger terminal for international flights, which is on the third floor, and headed to an exit on the first floor. The exit was unlocked at the time because it was being cleaned.
He then scaled a 2.4-meter wire fence and left the airport's premises, the officials said.
The man told officials he had a friend in Nagoya and he also felt like taking a look around the capital of Aichi Prefecture.
Akio Suzuki, chief of the airport, said he regretted the lapse in security but said the airport's measures have been thoroughly reviewed by police, customs officials and airport management to prevent such a security breach from recurring.