Japanese nabbed twice for same offense

JAKARTA (JP): Officials from the Central Jakarta Immigration office nabbed on Tuesday a Japanese man who had been deported once in the past for breaching the same immigration rule.

Head of the office, Pramuningtyas, said on Wednesday that Eiji Goto, alias Yoshiharu Goto, was apprehended at the Tator Hotel on the popular backpacker street of Jl. Jaksa in Central Jakarta.

During the interrogation, Goto showed a letter as proof of his status here. Pramuningtyas said the letter stated that he was sponsored by the Surakarta Sultan in Central Java to work on a museum project there.

From immigration data, the officials later learned that Goto entered the country on Sept. 22 on a short-visit visa.

Pramuningtyas said Goto was deported in 1993 for overstaying his visa, but later reentered the country with a new passport and identity.

He said the arrest was based on a tip-off from a local resident.

"He breached Law No. 9/1992 on Immigration and will be deported soon," Pramuningtyas added. (edt)