WISMA PUTRA: CONSULAR OFFICERS READY TO ASSIST MALAYSIAN DETAINED IN JAPAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- Consular officers stand ready to provide all necessary assistance to Muhammad Faiq Zafran Mohd Jailani, a Malaysian citizen currently detained in Toyama, Japan, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The ministry, also known as Wisma Putra, said this includes facilitating communication and ensuring his welfare, subject to his consent and in accordance with Japanese law.

“The Ministry, through the Embassy of Malaysia in Tokyo, continues to closely monitor the situation.”

“It must be noted, however, that the Embassy cannot intervene in the judicial proceedings of a sovereign state or demand the release of a detainee,” it said in a statement, on Tuesday.

Wisma Putra also clarified that Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963, to which Japan is a signatory, the notification to a foreign embassy of detention of any individual is not automatic but it is a right exercised at the request of the detainee.

It said that the Japanese authorities are also strictly bound by the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (PPI) that classifies detention status as personal information that cannot be disclosed to third parties, including diplomatic missions, without the explicit consent of the individual concerned.

Muhammad Faiq Zafran was initially reported missing in Japan since Dec 2, 2025. It was subsequently confirmed that he was in the custody of the Toyama Minami Police Station. 

“The Embassy has been informed by the investigative authorities in Toyama that, at the material time, the necessary consent to disclose information to the Embassy was not granted by Muhammad Faiq.”

“Consequently, the Japanese authorities were legally prohibited from notifying the Malaysian Embassy or releasing details regarding the investigation,” it added.

Wisma Putra said upon successfully securing official confirmation of the detention from the Japanese authorities, the ministry immediately contacted the next-of-kin to convey the information.

The ministry said it has continued to communicate with the family to ensure they are updated on the latest developments received through official channels.

The ministry said it remains fully committed to the welfare of Malaysian citizens abroad, and reminds Malaysians travelling or residing overseas to strictly adhere to the laws and regulations of their host countries.

-- BERNAMA