Two more fugitive Japanese nationals will be deported immediately, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Monday, Feb. 7.
They were identified by DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV as Tomonobu Saito and Yuki Watanabe whose cases had been dismissed by the Pasay City regional trial court (RTC).
With no pending cases in the Philippines, Saito and Watanabe “are cleared for deportation,” Clavano said.
Early today, Feb. 7, fugitive Japanese nationals Imamura Kiyoto and Fujita Toshiya were deported.
The four Japanese nationals had been detained at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and whose deportation had been sought by the Japanese government.
The DOJ said they had been “identified by Japanese police to be the leaders of a criminal organization in their home country and have been charged with robbery and theft” and are “considered fugitives from justice.”
The DOJ said it hopes that the actions taken against the Japanese fugitives “signal to the international community that we are willing to cooperate in the fight against criminality.”
“Ahead of our President’s visit to Japan, we at the Department, together with the Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation hope this will not only strengthen the ties between the Philippine and Japanese Governments, we hope that this shows the sincerity and genuine effort to curb any illicit or illegal maneuvers,” the DOJ also said.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is expected to leave for Japan on Wednesday, Feb. 8, for a state visit.
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