Police in Japan’s Osaka Prefecture have arrested two Vietnamese women suspected of impersonation during a Japanese language proficiency exam.
The suspects, Nguyen Thi Dieu, 30, and Luong Thi Hue, 30, both unemployed, were accused of illegally creating and using electronic personal data, according to the Tokyo Shimbun. Investigators believe the case may involve an organized impersonation scheme and are conducting further inquiries.
Dieu is alleged to have taken the Test for Basic Japanese on behalf of others. The two women are suspected of conspiring to commit the act at a test center in Osaka City on Dec. 4, 2024, during which Dieu reportedly used Hue’s residence card to impersonate her.
The Osaka Prefectural Police’s international investigation division revealed that Dieu had previously been arrested and charged in December 2024 for violating the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act. She was accused of attempting to take the same exam using the residence card of another Vietnamese woman.
According to The MainichiDieu admitted to taking the test for others multiple times since the summer of 2024, charging fees of several tens of thousands of yen (equivalent to several hundred U.S. dollars) per case. During questioning, she reportedly stated, “I wanted to help Vietnamese people.”
Investigators suspect the involvement of intermediaries who may have facilitated these fraudulent activities.
The Test for Basic Japanese is a language proficiency exam required for applying for the “Specified Skilled Worker” residence status. This status enables foreign workers with essential skills to work in designated industrial sectors in Japan.
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