Altered fingerprints detected in illegal immigration attempts

Monday 29th June, 02:30 PM JST

NARITA —

Japanese immigration authorities have had some success detecting people trying to enter Japan illegally via fooling the vaunted biometric authentication technique. Narita airport officials said Monday that since January they have discovered four people trying to escape the authentication system, which is designed to detect foreign nationals with a history of deportation from Japan based on fingerprint data. The four attempted to alter their fingerprints by cutting off and then sewing up part of them or even filing them down. But these efforts failed after immigration officers conducted visual checks on them after fingerprint scanners detected irregularities. These cases were found at Tokyo’s main international hub after authorities toughened checks this year following a report that the first known case of illegal entry through cheating a similar authentication system took place last year at Aomori airport. At Aomori, northeastern Japan, a woman who had been deported for overstaying her visa was found to have slipped through immigration with pieces of special tapes stuck to her fingers. The four people detected at Narita airport were subsequently arrested and told investigators at Chiba prefectural police that their fingerprints were altered with surgery performed in China, where they had paid doctors 5,000 yuan (roughly 70,000 yen) per person, according to police. Police suspect the possible involvement of organized human traffickers in China.

The Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau’s Narita airport office said it will remain vigilant ahead of a busy summer travel season. The biometric identification system was introduced in November 2007 as part of Japan’s antiterrorism measures under a revised Immigration Control Law. The law requires the fingerprinting and photographing of foreign nationals 16 years old and older at immigration for screening in a database of those deported or wanted by police.

Kyodo

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 32 Total Comments Show All

Den Den at 11:22 PM JST - 29th June

Why not just cut off someone elses finger and carry it in your pocket?
LIBERTAS at 11:29 PM JST - 29th June

The removal of one's fingerprints, at least in my buddy's case was a symbolic middle finger salute to the fascist, racist and xenophobic powers that be in Japan. Can't say I disagree with him. The whole fingerprinting scam is a cow-tow to that other xenophobic process at DHS. It's just about controlling the international visitors to and residents of Japan, most of whom are self-policing, in so far as it takes a LOT to get here, to be treated like criminals? (Only Japanese charged with felonies are fingerprinted. YOUR crime is being foreign.) And he's a bonded locksmith by trade, not a criminal! Amazing how we jump to conclusions, isn't it?
knews at 11:38 PM JST - 29th June

It is a bit irritating to be fingerprinted each time we enter Japan (originally, I thought it was only once that it had to be done). But can anyone think of a more effective way to positively I.D. people when there are dodgy passports around? I can't, and the process has been fast and painless the 5 or 6 times I've had it done.
nigelboy at 11:47 PM JST - 29th June

Those of you who are english teachers I respect you I really do. I just don't know how you can continue to do such a soul destroying, brain cell destroying job for such meagre pay and still keep your sanity.

Because they'd be unemployed in their home countries. No other way of explaining it.
nigelboy at 11:53 PM JST - 29th June

Buddy of mine uses sandpaper to file ALL his fingerprints off, and then to keep them off.

Sounds like a real winner you got as your friend. Will he/she take out his/her eyes to avoid the iris scan? Will shall see.
amerijap at 11:57 PM JST - 29th June

Altered fingerprints detected in illegal immigration attempts

Perhaps the article title should be changed as illegal entrance/re-entry attempts? Illegal immigration sounds like undocumented non-Japanese foreigners who attempt to get into Japan and stay there indefinitely by pretending to be the legal foreign residents/workers. Technically, individuals who frequently go back and forth between their home country and Japan are not considered as immigrants, although they can be the big fish for the crackdown on illegal immigration and terrorism.
presto345 at 12:03 AM JST - 30th June

Buddy of mine uses sandpaper to file ALL his fingerprints off, and then to keep them off

Muted applause. Must have a very good reason to go to all this trouble and having a buddy like this raises some questions. Unless you have something to hide or have an obnoxious character you just cooperate I'd think.
EUgirl at 12:55 AM JST - 30th June

I will try this sandpaper thign next time I travel to the U.S., just to see what reaction I get.
bdiego at 03:08 AM JST - 30th June

BS on Libertas, immigration authorities do have authority to check your fingerprints and if you refuse you will be immediately turned back. Whether or not they'd do that is a different question. Since you like making this stuff up, it's hard to take the rest of your story seriously. Dime a dozen.
OssanAmerica at 04:39 AM JST - 30th June

I will try this sandpaper thign next time I travel to the U.S., just to >see what reaction I get.

I can save you some time. My travelling companion on a J-passport was randomly fingerprinted at JFK/NY immigration. Because this persons fingerprints are naturally very light, they didn't show up clearly on the digital reader. This prompted the Immigration agent to send us to the infamous Immigration Backroom, getting in line behind several people with various Visa issues and such. At least he was nice enough to say that there's nothing wrong with the paperworks just that the fingerprints didn't come out clearly. The upshot- re-finger printed numerous times the old fashion way, examined closely and 45 minutes lost. Our luggage was the only ones left on the rotatiting thingie. So if you really want to delay getting through Immigration and Customs, just sand down your fingerprints.
OssanAmerica at 04:41 AM JST - 30th June

The removal of one's fingerprints, at least in my buddy's case was a >symbolic middle finger salute to the fascist, racist and xenophobic >powers that be in Japan

We do the same thing here in the United States. Routine procedure now.
sydenham at 07:14 AM JST - 30th June

libertas, your "buddy," real or imaginary though he may be, has obvious maturity issues and enjoys self-aggrandizement at the expense others, namely those in the line behind him. sounds to me like he's living in a world of make-believe, and shouldn't be living abroad in the first place. that is, unless "he" is really "you," in which case you can just change the appropriate pronouns in this post.
UnagiDon at 10:44 AM JST - 30th June

Both Libertas and his imaginary friend aren't exactly making it less likely that the fingerprinting is going away - sounds like the kind of justification for the whole thing in the first place.
Lamborghini at 04:58 PM JST - 30th June

If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear getting you prints taken. I am a PR here and still have to have my prints and photo taken everything I return. Jesus I have to still carry that stupid gaikokujin card when I am a PR, but if I was Chinese or Korean I would not have to!
BurakuminDes at 11:21 AM JST - 1st July

If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear getting you prints taken. I am a PR here and still have to have my prints and photo taken everything I return. Jesus I have to still carry that stupid gaikokujin card when I am a PR, but if I was Chinese or Korean I would not have to!

Exactly right, it's a crazy system here in Japan. I have a chinese student who has been here the same length of time as me - 5 years - yet she has never once been asked to show her gaijin card. Even when she checks into a hotel she doesn't show it - yet I am always asked for it or my passport! It's almost as if those who appear Chinese/Korean/Asian get preferential treatment and freedom from the authorities, over whitey!