JEMBER IMMIGRATION DETAINS JAPANESE CITIZEN

Jember, E Java, May 12 (ANTARA)--The local immigration office has detained Kazunori Fujise, a Japanese citizen, for overstaying his visa, a spokesman said.

"Fujise's visiting visa expired at the end of last March," Head of the Jember Immigration office Jon Rais said here Tuesday, adding that Fujise was nabbed on Monday night.

The result of a provisional investigation showed that Fujise came to Indonesia through Surabaya's Juanda airport from where he proceeded to Jember on May 2, and stayed in a hotel.

"Fujise claimed he came to Jember to find a Japanese friend who lived here," Rais said, noting that by overstaying hiw visa Fujise had violated the existing immigration law.

"Fujise's visa had expired 71 days ago," he said, explaining that the immigration office should use an interpreter in asking Fujise because the Japanese citizen could not speak English.

"Fujise only speaks English a little, so he prefers speaking in Japanese when asked by immigration officers," Rais said.

Since January 2009, the Jember immigration office had nabbed seven Japanese citizens, Rais added. ***3***
(B003/B/HAJM/16:00/a014)