Manila, March 4 (IANS): The Philippines' Bureau of Immigration announced Tuesday that it has deported a Japanese fugitive who had been hiding in a northern Philippine city for the past 19 years.

BI Commissioner Siegfred Mison identified the fugitive as Dobashi Masatoshi, 49, who was an undocumented alien in the southeast Asian nation since July 1995, Xinhua reported.

Masatoshi alias Tsuchibashi Masatoshi had a standing warrant for four offences which include theft, counterfeiting of public documents, using counterfeit private documents and indulging in fraud in his hometown back in Japan, according to the Japan embassy.

After 19 years of hiding, Masatoshi was apprehended by immigration operatives when he was selling Japanese food in Harrison Night Market Place in Baguio City in December last year.

He was deported on a Japan Airlines international flight to Japan, escorted by three Bureau of Immigration personnel.

The Japan embassy also confirmed standing warrants against Masatoshi alias "Tsuchibashi Masatoshi" for four offences which include counterfeiting of public documents, theft, fraud and using counterfeit private documents.