[Unofficial Japanese-to-English translation by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

Prefectural Police have arrested five people in connection with the theft of copper cables from solar power generation plants across the country. The Cambodian man, who worked as a technical intern trainee, had fled his work place due to bullying, and was now staying in the country illegally with financial difficulty.

According to the Immigration Services Agency, 405 technical intern trainees in Ibaraki Prefecture disappeared in 2022, the sixth highest number in the country. The reality that these immigrants who are in financial difficulty are repeatedly committing crimes is coming to light.