Thai police nab Japanese man accused in stock fraud case

BANGKOK, July 29 (TNA) - A Japanese man wanted by Japanese authorities in a stock fraud and transnational crime case has been arrested in Thailand, where he had been on the run for 11 years with his surgically-restructured face. National Police Chief Police General Chakthip Chaijinda, Immigration Police Chief Police Lieutenant General Natthorn Phrosunthorn and a Japanese police diplomat to Thailand jointly told a joint press conference in Bangkok that the 62-year-old Japanese man, Yasuo Tsubaki, was apprehended on July 22 under an officially-issued arrest warrant by Japan. The authorities said the Japanese man was accused of conspiring with two alleged accomplices in a stock manipulated speculation in Japan that caused damage to Japanese bourses, totally worth 12 billion yen or about 4 billion baht. According to the authorities, the Japanese accused had a surgery to restructure his face and had rented a luxurious condominium in Thailand as his hideout, staying with his wife, before he was arrested when he applied for his renewed visa. During an initial interrogation, the authorities stated, the Japanese national confessed he is the same person with the wanted man under the arrest warrant but denied committing the crime, while his wife has been found no connection with the case so far. The Thai authorities are working to extradite the wanted Japanese citizen to his home country to face legal action and tracking down all other those involving in the case in Thailand, if any. (TNA)