Chinese woman confronted as Nagoya launches crackdown on aluminum can thieves

Nagoya City has officially launched a crackdown on the theft of recyclable aluminum cans

Tokyo Reporter2026-10-08 12:09查看原文 ↗

AICHI (TR) – Nagoya City has officially launched a crackdown on the theft of recyclable aluminum cans, confronting a suspected Chinese national and engaging in a brief pursuit of a fleeing vehicle on the very first day of the new ordinance, reports Fuji News Network (Oct. 5).

The new regulations, which came into effect in October, introduce strict penalties for individuals who scavenge recyclable garbage from municipal collection points. Under the new rules, repeat offenders can face hefty fines of up to 500,000 yen. Similar penal ordinances are already strictly enforced across many municipalities in Tokyo.

On October 1, city officials staked out a local garbage collection site where a woman, believed to be a Chinese national, was known to scavenge for cans on a weekly basis. The suspect soon arrived wearing gloves, grabbed a bag full of aluminum cans, and attempted to walk away.

Officials immediately intervened, utilizing a smartphone translation app to confront her.

“This is Nagoya City Hall. What were you just doing?” an official asked.

The woman quickly returned the bag of cans to its original spot and bowed repeatedly.

“Starting today, if you repeat this, you will be fined,” the official warned.

“I won’t do it. I have no money,” the woman pleaded.

A Chinese woman was confronted in Nagoya over the theft of aluminum cans on October 1 (X)

Despite her promises, authorities noted the woman is a chronic offender who has ignored multiple warnings in the past. After being handed a formal written warning, she prepared to leave on her bicycle—which was already loaded with a massive haul of aluminum cans.

Because officials only witnessed her taking the single bag at that specific site, they were forced to let her leave with the rest of her haul.

“There are still cans on her bicycle, but we can only make her unload what she took right here,” explained Minoru Togashi, Assistant Section Chief of the Nagoya Environmental Affairs Bureau. “She probably took them from elsewhere, but we have no proof.”

The city’s crackdown also targets organized scavengers operating in vehicles. Later that day, officials attempted to pursue a known repeat offender after receiving a report from a separate patrol team that a theft had just occurred. However, the suspect managed to shake off the pursuit, taking a quick turn and fleeing before the city vehicle could pull them over.

Moving forward, the city intends to escalate its enforcement. “If we can narrow down the times and locations to some extent, we want to conduct focused patrols to prevent these theft operations,” Togashi said.

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爱知县（TR）——据富士新闻网（10月5日）报道，名古屋市正式启动打击可回收铝罐盗窃的行动，在新条例生效的第一天就抓获了一名疑似中国公民，并短暂追捕了一辆逃逸车辆。

新规于10月生效，对在市政垃圾收集点拾取可回收垃圾的个人处以严厉处罚。根据新规，屡犯者最高可被处以50万日元的巨额罚款。类似的处罚条例已在东京多个市町村得到严格执行。

10月1日，市政府官员在当地一个垃圾收集点设伏，据信一名中国籍女子每周都会来这里捡拾易拉罐。不久后，嫌疑人戴着手套出现，抓起一袋铝罐，试图逃离现场。

官员们立即介入，利用智能手机翻译应用程序与她对峙。

“这里是名古屋市政府。你们刚才在做什么？”一位官员问道。

那名女子迅速将那袋罐头放回原处，并连连鞠躬。

“从今天起，如果你们再次发生这种行为，将会被罚款，”该官员警告说。

“我不做。我没钱。”女人哀求道。

10月1日，一名中国女子在名古屋因偷窃铝罐被警方当场抓获（X）

尽管她一再保证，但当局指出，这名女子是惯犯，过去曾多次无视警告。在收到正式书面警告后，她准备骑上自行车离开——车上已经装满了大量的铝罐。

由于官员们只目睹她在那个特定地点拿走了一个包，所以他们不得不放她带着剩下的赃物离开。