Experts suggest that Japanese store employees are generally less inclined to overtly address suspected shoplifting behaviors compared to their counterparts in other countries. A recent report by the Nikkei highlights a notable rise in the arrest of foreign shoplifters in Japan, particularly among Vietnamese individuals who have entered the country on tourist visas with the aid of unknown organizers. For instance, this year, Osaka police apprehended three Vietnamese women who had stolen around 3,300 items, including women’s underwear, from popular outlets like Uniqlo and H&M.
These women reportedly entered Japan between June 2023 and February 2024, utilizing short-term visas for two-week stays and targeting 37 stores throughout Tokyo and the Kansai region. Their stolen goods were valued at approximately 12.3 million yen (around $830,000), with each member earning between 170,000 and 210,000 yen (roughly $1,143 to $1,412) as compensation. One of the suspects commented on the ease of pilfering from Japanese stores, explaining how they would discreetly fill a Boston bag with merchandise until it was time to transfer it all into a suitcase held by an accomplice.
Investigators revealed that these women had entered Japan under the guidance of an unidentified man who organized their travel and lodging, as well as providing them with strategic pre-departure instructions. This included targeting open commercial spaces, steering clear of shops that had limited entrances and exits, and focusing on easily concealable women’s apparel. One suspect highlighted how the Vietnamese market is saturated with counterfeit goods, making genuine items with Japanese labels highly desirable for resale at elevated prices on local second-hand platforms.
As COVID-19 travel restrictions have eased, there’s been a noticeable increase in foreign tourism to Japan, which has coincided with a spike in organized theft by foreigners. Labor shortages in Japanese retail have created more opportunities for thieves. Data from the National Police Agency indicates that 1,326 foreigners were arrested for theft in 2023, marking a 20% increase from the previous year—the first rise in eight years. Alarmingly, organized crime involving foreigners has become a growing concern, with about a quarter of these cases including accomplices, compared to just 3.6% of cases involving Japanese suspects.
In March, four Vietnamese nationals were sentenced to probation following their theft from a Uniqlo store in Fukuoka, during which they followed the lead of a main perpetrator and used specially modified bags to bypass anti-theft sensors.
Hikaru Masakatsu, a director at the National Association for the Prevention of Shoplifting, pointed out that the polite demeanor of Japanese retail staff towards customers contributes to the prevalence of these crimes. For instance, while retail employees in other countries might collect large bags for temporary storage as a preventative measure, Japanese staff often hesitate to intervene. Masakatsu emphasized the importance of comprehensive training to raise awareness among employees.
A spokesperson for Fast Retailing, Uniqlo’s parent company, noted, “We are exploring more effective training programs for our employees to bolster theft prevention awareness throughout all our stores.”
