BI deports Japanese car theft suspect

MANILA, Philippines - A 34-year-old Japanese man wanted in his own country for car theft has recently been deported to Japan Wednesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said yesterday.

Tokyo Interpol officials alleged that Hideto Ozawa, along with several accomplices, stole more than 10 cars from various parking lots and hid them in a warehouse in Wakayama prefecture between October and November 2005.

BI records showed that Ozawa fled to Manila on March 11, 2006 and had hiding in the country since then. He reportedly turned himself in at the Japanese embassy last month.