Overstayers beware: Japan’s 1st foreigner cyber patrol to decode, report possible crimes

SAITAMA — Saitama Prefectural Police have inaugurated Japan’s first online volunteer group made up of foreigners to tackle visa overstays, crimes by foreign nationals and other issues.

The move comes as Japan welcomes growing numbers of foreign residents to support the country’s labor-starved economy. But what is the new Saitama Prefectural Police cyber patrol’s day-to-day mission?

“Car for sale.” “Delivering chicken meat.” “Showing a house for sale.” “Farming. Two people needed.” Posts like these could be seen in Vietnamese on one of the Facebook groups where information is traded among “bo doi” visa overstayers and others living in Saitama Prefecture and across the northern Kanto region.

“‘Bo doi’ means ‘soldier’ in Vietnamese. It’s used as a code word for those staying here illegally or technical intern trainees who have fled their training sites,” said a 33-year-old Vietnamese man who has lived in Japan for over 10 years. The overstayers and others are reportedly likened to soldiers because of how difficult it is to be in the country without a residency status.

There are lots of posts to the group suggesting suspected criminal activity. “Bank accounts, meat from animals caught in traps and butchered, and forged vehicle inspection stickers are sometimes sold. We also see information on the subletting of houses. Each of these could be illegal,” the man said. He said there is no end to people requesting things that are difficult to obtain themselves due to their visa status, including certain purchases or entering contracts, as well as things like types of meat not available in Japanese stores.

“In many cases, Vietnamese who cannot speak Japanese rely on groups of ‘bo doi’ and others instead of the government and other organizations when they run into problems. Sometimes Vietnamese brokers find jobs for the bo doi and make them work under bad conditions. As they’re here illegally, the people involved can’t seek outside help,” the man explained.

According to the department’s second organized crime division, in a portion of Facebook groups like this, there is information on crimes such as trading of IDs, bank cards and passbooks. And police fear that organized crime gangs targeting foreigners are embedded in these online groups.

The division has been sending warnings and taking other measures upon finding illegal information. But in many cases, perpetrators use code words and other evasive language to avoid detection, making it a challenge to identify posts about illegal acts.

For that reason, the division created the Foreign Residents Cyber Volunteer (FRCV) group. Currently, the group is made up of around 20 students from Japanese language schools in Saitama Prefecture, and there are plans to expand membership and offer outreach in more languages. The group patrols Facebook, looking for and reporting sales and purchases of bank cards and accounts, among other things.

Over a test period from July 2023 to June 2024 leading up to the group’s creation, reportedly some 80% of the 97 posts to which warnings were sent were removed, and new posts containing illegal information fell. A division representative commented, “There are usages and meanings of words that can be understood because they (the team members) are native Vietnamese speakers. It’s reassuring to know they can help us.”

At a July 19 ceremony to mark the group’s inauguration at the department’s headquarters, criminal affairs division head Hirotake Sugatani remarked, “We pray that through our efforts, a society of coexistence will be established in which foreign residents can live safely and securely.”

Bui Thuy Quynh, 20, a Vietnamese member of the group, said, “If we can prevent crimes, it’s good for both foreigners and Japanese society. I want to contribute to preventing foreigners from getting involved in crimes.”

(Japanese original by Kotaro Adachi and Takuro Tahara, Saitama Bureau)