Manila: Two Japanese nationals wanted for fraud and money laundering in their homeland have been deported, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Tuesday. Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado announced that Ito Shinya, 36, and Kawasaki Hiroyuki, 37, departed the country on Japan Airlines Flight JL746, bound for Narita, Japan, on Monday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the two individuals were arrested after coordination with Japanese authorities confirmed their involvement in falsifying official documents and engaging in financial fraud schemes. They faced charges in Japan for creating false records on electronic or magnetic notarized deeds and utilizing shell companies to launder illicit funds.

Commissioner Viado emphasized the significance of this operation, stating, "The deportation of these fugitives is a testament to the strengthened cooperation between the Philippine government and its international counterparts in combating transnational crime." He further assured that the Philippines is committed to ensuring it does not become a safe haven for criminals.

The deportation was sanctioned by the BI Board of Commissioners, which ordered their summary deportation. Ito and Kawasaki have been added to the BI's blacklist, preventing them from re-entering the Philippines.