TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a company executive and his wife for allegedly falsifying documents to secure a work visa for a foreign babysitter serving wealthy Chinese expats, reports NHK (June 18).
Hotei Aizawa, 39, and his wife Olivia Aizawa, 37, both residents of the upscale Minato Ward, are accused of violating the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.
According to police, the couple submitted a fraudulent visa application three years ago for a Chinese woman in her 40s.
They allegedly applied for an “Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” visa — a status strictly reserved for highly skilled professionals such as translators and IT workers — so she could illegally enter the country to work as a babysitter.
Investigators believe the pair operated an illicit support business catering to wealthy Chinese nationals relocating to Japan. The couple was reportedly approached by a Chinese woman already living in Japan who requested their services to bring the babysitter over.
The investigation was sparked late last year by an anonymous tip-off to the police. The informant claimed that wealthy Chinese expats living in Minato Ward luxury apartments were housing multiple preschoolers and employing babysitters who were working well outside their permitted visa statuses.
The babysitter at the center of the allegations was arrested in April for immigration violations and has since been indicted. Two other babysitters working for the same wealthy client have also been arrested and indicted on similar charges.
During police questioning, both Hotei and Olivia Aizawa maintained their innocence. “We completely deny the allegations,” the couple reportedly told investigators.
Police are continuing to investigate the full extent of the couple’s business operations.
