Vietnamese Man Arrested in Language-Test Ringer Scheme; Allegedly Recruited Woman to Impersonate Exam-Taker

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:21 JST, June 19, 2025

OSAKA — A Vietnamese man in his 20s has been arrested for allegedly arranging for a ringer to take Japanese language ability test on behalf a Vietnamese woman, according to investigation sources. The test is required to obtain a “specified skilled worker” status of residence in the country.

The Osaka prefectural police arrested the suspect on Wednesday on suspicion of illegally creating and using electronic personal data and violating the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law.

The man allegedly used social media to solicit people who want ringers. The police suspect that he may have approached others to take part in such test-cheating schemes.

In the case, the Vietnamese woman who requested that a ringer take the test on her behalf has been convicted of violating the immigration control law and other offenses. The Osaka District Court sentenced her to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, which was finalized in May.

On June 10, a 31-year-old Vietnamese national who allegedly took the test while impersonating the woman, was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for four years, at the same court.

According to the sources, the man allegedly conspired with the two people. During a Japanese language test at a venue in Osaka City in December, the ringer is suspected to have passed herself off as the woman by presenting her residence card and took the test. The ringer’s score was reportedly above the passing mark.

The ringer reportedly told investigators that she had taken the test on behalf of others more than 10 times since around summer last year. She also said that there was an intermediary and that she received ¥60,000 each time, according to the sources.

The Osaka police suspect that the man received an inquiry from the unnamed woman, had the ringer impersonate her and handed part of the payment he had received to the ringer.

The Osaka police started investigating the impersonation scheme after receiving a complaint from a company that operates a different Japanese language test. The company reportedly told the police that there have been about 100 suspected impersonation cases.

The police have arrested the ringer and six people who allegedly requested ringers to take exams for them, including the unnamed woman.