MANILA (Kyodo) Philippine immigration authorities have detained a Japanese national in Manila at the request of Japanese authorities for allegedly arranging fake marriages between Japanese men and Filipino female entertainers.
The Philippine Immigration Bureau said Tuesday that Yoshifumi Fujii, 49, was taken into custody Jan. 24 at its main office in Manila while he was trying to extend his expired visa.
The Japanese Embassy had informed Philippine authorities that Fujii has a standing arrest warrant from a court in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, where he was charged with making "false entries in the original of notarized deeds."
Fujii allegedly arranged three fake marriages between Japanese men and Filipino female entertainers "so the latter can acquire spouse and residence visas in Japan," the bureau said.
The marriages were recorded in family registries in several towns in Japan, it said.
Quoting Japan's National Police Agency, the Immigration Bureau said Fujii's involvement in the scam was discovered following the arrest last May of some of the fake married couples.