Police on Tuesday arrested the daughter in a family of three on charges of fraud after she brought her parents to a hotel in Kamakura where they stayed for over a month without paying.
Police quoted Junko Omura, 53, as saying she "understands" what she did. From April 19 to May 24 last year, Omura and her parents stayed in a hotel for 36 nights, running up a bill of around 1.6 million yen, including food and drink consumed at the lodging.
The hotel inquired about payment during the group's stay, but Omura told staff, "The person who is going to pay is in America, but can't get on the plane to come to Japan because of H1N1."
Omura's parents, who are 80 and 79, didn't know their daughter was renting the room without paying. The hotel staff told police that they had thought the family was charming, and the daughter was very respectful of her parents.
© News reports
44 Comments
Login to comment
thepro
wat wat wat
Scotch
hahahahaha I can't believe the hotel fell for that for a month! Could you see this happening in any other country?
TumbleDry
“The person who is going to pay is in America" hohoho try to blame a foreigner or a foreign country is this case also...
seesaw
It's the hotel's fault. They should have taken an advance payment from the family.
KaptainKichigai
3 words-credit card imprint....
MeanRingo
I love these kinds of fraud stories. Like when the guy ate 60,000 yen worth of gyudon and then told them 14 hours later that he didn't have any money. Ha ha hha. Love it. I LOVE it.
Pukey2
I'd like to see how far a foreigner in Japan would get away with this. Japanese, charming, respectful - yes. Foreigner - PAY NOW before setting foot in your room.
Proffesor
Seems she loves her parents so much that she is willing to do anything for them, unlike most cases that we read on JT were killing parents seem to be the norm.
ratpack
Wow....dumb hotel staff.
sharpie
screw the hotel if they're stupid enough to let someone stay for more than a month without paying. wonder what her sentence will be, and if she does do time, the parents are going to be on the street.
since when was there a one month ban on travel from the states becuz of H1N1???
Ken Watanabe
Geez, why can't they get the smell of these rats? Too naive and dorky.
meloveulongtime
36 njghts in a hotel with your parents? I would say she already paid a high price! That would be hell!
InTheKnow
Since when can you check into a hotel without pre-paying for one night and/or have your credit card on file? A hotel that lets this go on for 36 nights deserves to be stiffed. And as for a foreigner getting equal consideration.... I'll let you decide. Please tell me this woman is in police detention until the bill is paid in full.
neverknow2
Welcome to Japan.
noborito
That's one expensive hotel.
Makun
I worked in the hotel industry for a few years. Generally you authorize a credit card for the total amount of their stay right when they arrive, and if the card is declined then there needs to be a cash payment for the first night and future nights if there is not a resolution. If your going to be stupid about things like this, people will take advantage.
Makun
*You're ~~ Haha See!
dbung10
44,000 yen a day!
sirgamble
2 rooms with breakfast, lunch and dinner every day... pretty easy, and not all that expensive.
Meh she's in trouble... the hotel are fools for letting it happen, but such is life... H1N1 hysteria in there... that made me laugh haha
goddog
I hope they at least changed the menu every day, but I doubt it, because most people only stay for one night.
ahocchau
Japanese hotel industry, come to the modern ages and require a credit card to rent a room... Idiots....
Junnama
Maybe this wasn't quite a respectable hotel...
neganip
Japanese hotel industry, come to the modern ages and require a credit card to rent a room..
Japan come to the modern ages !
incognito12
Sounds like one of those "stay now, pay later, no questions asked" promos...
nath
Maybe they trusted her because she had AAA?
dolphingirl
Dumb and dumber. Th girl's excuse for not paying was dumb and the hotel staff was even dumber for believing it.
WilliB
Another "only in Japan" story...
animallover
The fraud was obvious from the beginning. Staying at a hotel for one month in Japan? that costs a fortune. If the family had money they would rent an appartment instead.
nath
Take it from an hotel industry insider that these sorts of things can, and do happen in all countries and not just Japan. For lots of reasons but mainly by not strictly enforcing credit procedures.
Ultradude
Some people don't know how long they will stay and in her case she is probably emotionally disturbed and knew (on some level) she was committing fraud. I have stayed at hotels in quite a few countries for more than a month but of course always had a credit card registered unless it was bungalow on the beach in Koh Tao. Here in Tokyo a weekly mansion would make a lot more sense, for sensible folks.
southsakai
You call this news ? Ha ha lol, this ain't news.
sillygirl
well if she was charming and respectful of her parents.......
OgieDoggie
sasukene says: "Take it from an hotel industry insider that these sorts of things can, and do happen in all countries and not just Japan."
Hey sasukene why don't you come to California or Las Vegas Nevada and try it here and just see how long you can stay in a hotel room before they catch on - you might get away with 3 days at the most before security comes knocking on your door.
martyman
It sounds like the same ploy in an earlier post where the folks ate over 100 bentos for free before the resturant caught on. Maybe we should try this shopping at a large dept store. You never know, as WilliB said.. " Only in Japan! "
Elbuda Mexicano
Not too sure this is an "ONLY IN JAPAN" incident, but this woman must be nuts, crazy, insane, and in here nutty world she came up with this loony idea. As for the hotel, some heads should roll! Some of these idiots should either be fired or have this expense deducted from their salary!
selph
Some advanced enlightened beings may call it "dumb", but I find it good to know there are places like that still, where people are inclined to trust each other, no matter how naively. There were times and areas in the west, too, where/when people didn't have to lock their homes, but those didn't last as long. Mind it, having a god's name written on money changes one's praying habits. So.. how about sparing some wisdom and superior intelligence in favour of a moment of nostalgic envy? [perhaps not available for customers from California, Nevada and a few other remote locations]. "ONLY IN JAPAN", IINA! :)
JACKY1289
Hotels must start to ask a hoshonin to rent a room from now on.
martyman
Never happen if the hotel is family owned and managed. "ONLY IN JAPAN" strikes again...
benhur
usually they ask for a credit card scan..
kokorocloud
I also want to be like "Well I think it's great that there are places in Japan that are so trusting", but this really is kind of stupid. 36 nights? Really? Somebody should have figured it out by then!
Maria
I imagine they're homeless, perhaps they lost their house or she couldn't afford the rent. Better to commit fraud and pay the consequences later, than to see your parents living on the street. Very sad.
Shackle
Cool! I like her style! Do you really think the Japanese would let whitey or blackey or another asian yellowy stay without coughing up some serious loot first??? NO! Im glad they got stung! Servesemselves right for being greedy and gullible! Junko Omura you should become a Japanese politician! You knock `em dead! MUAH!
Raymasaki
i agree with shackle. a month without paying?! staying at a Hotel in Tokyo would be very Takai! / exspensive. don't see how it slipped for a whole month. in America you can stay only with a credit card & if you said cash, 3 days max. before they would ask for Money. Most would use judge of character if it seemed like a Rich Business man they wouldn't be too worried. 30 days?! come on
unrested
definitely this poor lady was just out on her luck and probably overwhelmed by the care of 2 parents. although this does not justify out and out abuse of this overly trusting hotel - it shows that obviously there are few options for those who get into tough times. although with that said there is always more to a story like this.