“Just like a part-time job during summer vacation…”

A 16-year-old high school student was arrested on suspicion of being a “cash collector” for a special fraud scheme.

The arrested individual is a 16-year-old male high school student residing in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture.

According to police, the high school student conspired with another individual and on the 29th of last month, falsely posing as the son of a 78-year-old unemployed woman living in Tsushima City, Aichi Prefecture, called her home and claimed “cash is urgently needed,” thereby fraudulently obtaining 1 million yen in cash.

The male high school student played the role of the “cash collector” who directly received the cash from the woman. In response to police questioning, he admitted to the allegations, stating, “It was during the summer vacation period, so I came to Aichi Prefecture with a part-time job mindset and did the cash collection.”

Police are investigating further possible crimes.

Himeji City

Himeji City is a historic city in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, best known for Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Often called the “White Heron Castle” for its elegant white plastered walls, it is one of the country’s few original castles that survived wars and earthquakes, with its main keep dating back to the early 17th century. The city developed as a castle town and remains a major cultural and transportation hub for the region.

Hyogo Prefecture

Hyogo Prefecture is a historically significant region in western Japan, home to the iconic Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its history is deeply tied to its port city of Kobe, which became one of the first ports to open to international trade in the 19th century. The prefecture is also known for the Great Hanshin Earthquake, which struck the area in 1995.

Tsushima City

Tsushima City is a Japanese archipelago located in the Tsushima Strait between Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula. Historically, it served as a vital trading and cultural intermediary between Japan and the Asian mainland. The city is also known for the pivotal 13th-century Mongol invasions of Japan, which were repelled in part by a typhoon (kamikaze) near its shores.

Aichi Prefecture

Aichi Prefecture is a major economic and cultural hub in central Japan, historically part of the Owari and Mikawa provinces. It is home to the historic Nagoya Castle, built in the early 17th century, and is a global center for advanced manufacturing, being the headquarters of the Toyota Motor Corporation.