Trading house raided over shady export attempt to N. Korea

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YOKOHAMA, Feb. 26 Kyodo -
The Kanagawa police raided a Tokyo trading house Thursday on suspicion of
attempting to illegally export to North Korea a machine part that could be used
for weapons of mass destruction, investigative sources said.
The Toko Boeki trading house in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward is suspected of violating
the foreign trade control law for allegedly attempting to export to North Korea
a magnetic measurement device, which could be used for missiles or other
weapons of mass destruction, last year and this year via Southeast Asia, they
said.
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry asked the company to apply for
permission prior to the intended export from Yokohama port, but the firm tried
to put the export plan forward without approval, resulting in the attempt
coming to light.
METI sets strict criteria for the export of products and technologies
convertible for military or nuclear development use.
But there have been cases of unauthorized exports to North Korea and the Middle
East via a third country.
In 2007, the International Atomic Energy Agency found a Japanese-made vacuum
pump being used in a nuclear facility in North Korea.
The Kanagawa police in 2008 sent papers to public prosecutors on a Tokyo trade
agent on suspicion of exporting the device to North Korea via Taiwan.
==Kyodo
2009-02-26 22:35:48