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Gov't to Tighten Export Control Measures to Bloc WMD Development

Posted on: Friday, 3 March 2006, 12:00 CST

By Kyodo News International, Tokyo

Mar. 3--TOKYO -- The Japanese government will strengthen its export control measures to prevent the development of weapons of mass destruction, trade ministry officials said Friday.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said it will conduct more snap inspections at traders and manufacturers and urge research institutions to prevent exports of items and technologies that could be diverted for military use, following a series of illegal export cases in Japan.

METI announced stricter measures after police raided Yamaha Motor Co. and several other companies earlier this year in connection with exports of products that could be used for military purposes to China and North Korea.

Specifically, the ministry will inspect 100 more companies later this year to check whether executives are acting responsibly for export control and whether the firms properly categorize products that would require government license for shipping, the officials said.

METI, which has already probed 20 exporters this year, will from now on send notices to targeted firms immediately before the inspections, they said. It had notified companies about the examinations a couple of weeks in advance.

The 100 exporters are among some 1,200 companies which have obtained comprehensive export licenses from METI.

The permission is issued for companies which frequently export items that are believed to have low risk of being used for military purposes. It exempts the businesses from going through official examinations every time they intend to ship products overseas.

METI will also ask 240 groups of exporters and the education ministry to boost measures to prevent shipments in violation of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law. The education ministry oversees universities and other research institutes across Japan.

Furthermore, METI will organize 70 briefings this year for exporters on compliance with the law and explanatory sessions for academic organizations in each of Japan's 47 prefectures on tightening control of advanced technology transfers.

The ministry said it will require attendance on the part of company officials in charge of not only export control but also management and sales, and allow only companies which sent officials to the seminars to acquire the export license.

METI, which has supported capacity building of export controllers in other Asian countries, will hold a seminar March 20-21 in Taiwan, and create teaching materials for export control training for distribution at overseas subsidiaries of Japanese companies, the officials said.

In January, police raided Yamaha Motor on suspicion the company had attempted an unauthorized export to China of an unmanned helicopter that could be used for military purposes. The firm is suspected of having shipped a helicopter to a Chinese firm linked to the People's Liberation Army in 2003.

In February, investigators searched precision measuring machine maker Mitutoyo Corp. over exports of three-dimensional computer-controlled measuring machines to China and Thailand.

Trading houses such as Seishin Shoji were also raided last month in connection with the shipment of a freeze dryer to North Korea via Taiwan that could be used to produce biological weapons.

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To see more of Kyodo News International, go to http://www.kyodonews.com

Copyright (c) 2006, Kyodo News International, Tokyo

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Kyodo News International, Tokyo

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