Two men suspected of orchestrating a series of robberies across Japan have arrived in the country to face separate fraud charges. They were deported from the Philippines.

They allegedly coordinated the crimes with another pair of Japanese nationals, who may also soon face deportation.

Fujita Toshiya and Imamura Kiyoto were arrested mid-flight from Manila to Tokyo. They were being held at an immigration facility in the Philippines, along with the other two suspects.

Police say one of them, Watanabe Yuki, is believed to be the leader of a group that targeted elderly people in Japan.

He and Kojima Tomonobu were also facing unrelated criminal charges in the Philippines. But the country's justice department told media outlets those cases have now been dismissed. That has paved the way for their return to Japan.

The four men are facing charges for allegedly running a telephone scam, but they are also suspected of organizing a string of robberies across 14 Japanese prefectures. One of those robberies left a 90-year-old Tokyo woman dead.

Philippine officials earlier said that they want to hand over all the suspects before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. begins his visit to Japan on Wednesday.