KYOTO, May 21 (News On Japan) - A 27-year-old Chinese national enrolled at Kyoto University’s graduate school has been arrested for impersonating another person to take the TOEIC English proficiency exam, in what police suspect may be part of an organized cheating scheme.
The suspect, Wang Likun, was taken into custody on May 18th at a testing site in Tokyo’s Itabashi Ward on suspicion of unlawful entry after he allegedly attempted to take the exam under a false identity. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department had been stationed at the venue following a tip from the test’s administering organization, which had received reports of the same individual registering under different names.
Wang arrived at the site claiming he had forgotten his exam admission slip. After being asked to fill out a replacement, officers questioned him and discovered that the name he provided did not match his actual identity.
A further search revealed a small microphone hidden inside his face mask. Investigators believe he may have been receiving or transmitting answers in real-time during the exam.
Wang was also found to be carrying a student ID under another person’s name but bearing his own photo. He reportedly told authorities he had received the ID from another Chinese person at a Tokyo train station and said, "I wanted to earn some money."
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police are investigating the possibility that Wang was acting as part of a broader cheating ring, including others who may have been directing or benefiting from the operation.
Source: FNN