Family and friends of a West Australian woman detained in Japan believe she is the victim of a romance scam, which resulted in her being arrested with drugs in the luggage she was carrying.
Donna Nelson was the chair of a WA Aboriginal health service, and an Aboriginal community leader.
The Ballardong Njaki-Njaki woman had been on a personal trip through Asia earlier this month when she was arrested at Tokyo's Narita Airport.
Family and friends have grown concerned about her welfare, having limited or no contact with her since.
Family members have told the ABC claims first published in the Sydney Morning Herald, that she was groomed by a Nigerian love scammer for two years before she was arrested for suspected drug trafficking are correct.
According to the report, Ms Nelson had travelled to Japan to meet a Nigerian man who she met two years earlier through an online dating site called AfroIntroductions.
The man had claimed to be the owner of a couture brand.
The ABC has been told Ms Nelson's daughters knew she was travelling to Japan to meet a man she had been speaking to online and felt uneasy about the situation.
Drugs believed hidden inside luggage
It's understood Ms Nelson had initially travelled to Laos but did not meet with the man.
Instead, an associate is believed to have come to her hotel and given her a suitcase to take with her to Japan.
It's believed drugs were hidden inside the luggage, which were found by Japanese authorities on her arrival in Tokyo in the first few days of the new year.
Ms Nelson's family were not able to contact her after she was meant to have arrived in Tokyo.
She is understood to have had little contact with family and friends since being detained, although they had been able to pass messages to her through a duty lawyer and had been told she was well and being cared for.
'Victim', not a drug trafficker
Those close to Ms Nelson said they were shocked she could be lured into a situation like that, and said she should be seen as a victim, rather than a drug trafficker.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has released little detail about the case, only confirming it was "providing consular assistance to an Australian woman detained in Japan and her family".
"DFAT and the Australian Embassy in Tokyo remain focused on ensuring the welfare of the Australian woman.
"Owing to our privacy obligations we are not able to provide further details."
Consular assistance can include visiting prisons to monitor welfare, working with local authorities to ensure an Australian's wellbeing, and providing lists of local lawyers.
An official response from Chiba Prefectural Police HQ, which is believed to be responsible for Ms Nelson's case, did not disclose any information.
"We can't confirm or tell you anything about the case including arrest or detention," it read.
"This case has not been released to the media.
"For those cases we can't tell you anything and we will not be releasing any details from now on."
Long detention 'common'
Japanese trial lawyer, Yugo Ishibashi, who is not involved in Ms Nelson’s case, said it was common for Japanese police to detain people for more than three weeks after their arrest.
He said after being arrested, a person had to be brought before a prosecutor within 72 hours.
“Within that 72 hours the prosecutor needs to request [permission of] the court if he or she wishes to detain the person any longer,” he said.
“The initial detainment is 10 days, but can be extended for another 10 days.”
That makes the usual detention period 23 days long.
Bail cannot be considered during this period, he said, only once a person is formally charged.
He said lawyers were usually able to have access to the detainee, but it was often more difficult for family to visit.
Known Indigenous community leader
Ms Nelson was earlier this week "relieved" from her role as chair of the Derbal Yerrigan Health Service.
The organisation said it was unable to carry out some functions with Donna's return uncertain, with both its chair and deputy chair required to approve banking, funding agreements and contract variations.
"We've read the family reports and it makes us incredibly sad and compassionate, it is an enormously difficult time for Donna's family and friends here in WA and truly, our hearts go out as we try and make sense of the unimaginable situation unfolding," CEO Tracey Brand told ABC Radio Perth.
"She is a woman of integrity, of credibility. She has fearless leadership and she has played an integral role in stabilising the governance of the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service."
Ms Brand said she last spoke to Ms Nelson on January 2, while she was overseas, but was unable to contact her after that.
Premier Mark McGowan met with Australia's ambassador to Japan earlier this week, as part of a planned tour of north-east Asia.
After the meeting, a spokesperson for Mr McGowan said Ms Nelson's situation was also discussed.
"The Premier also received assurances that in relation to Ms Nelson, all consular assistance that could be provided was being provided," he said.
Ms Nelson ran as a candidate for the Greens in last year's federal election.
She was also involved in the Pioneers Aboriginal Corporation, which said it used sport to "assist Aboriginal young people to overcome their social, emotional, cultural and economic poverty".
The organisation received a $1.65 million federal government grant between 2019 and 2022.
