A search effort has been suspended, but police continued yesterday to canvas the Pupukea area for information about a missing 21-year-old visitor from Japan who was last seen Thursday morning.

Police missing persons investigator Philip Camero said Masumi Watanabe's "recent behavior indicates that she is emotionally and mentally unstable."

Watanabe, a Japan national, has been living on Maulukua Road with a host family since arriving in Hawai'i in February, Camero said.

"She's very shy and introverted and speaks little English," the investigator said.

Watanabe takes daily walks and was last seen on Thursday at 9:20 a.m. off Pupukea Road near Alapi'o Road. She was wearing a navy blue hooded long-sleeve sweater, brown shirt, blue denim pants and pink shoes.

She was reported missing Thursday at 1 p.m., and police initially did a helicopter search of the area. With the assistance of its canine unit, police conducted a ground search Friday and received assistance from the Honolulu Fire Department to continue searching Saturday.

Anyone with information on Watanabe's whereabouts is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellular phone.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.