Japanese Firm Referred To Prosecutors For Importing North Korean Clams

A Japanese fishery product importer, along with its former representative director and two others, has been referred to prosecutors for allegedly importing freshwater clams from North Korea in violation of a trade ban, police said, Kyodo News reported.

The company and the three individuals allegedly imported 17,960 kilograms of freshwater clams from North Korea on Jan. 23, 2020.

The company, located in Saitama Prefecture, and the three individuals allegedly imported 17,960 kilograms of freshwater clams from North Korea on Jan. 23, 2020, in breach of Japan’s foreign exchange and trade laws.

The Japanese government has imposed strict economic sanctions prohibiting all trade with North Korea in response to its nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches, which violate UN Security Council resolutions.

The former director, a 37-year-old Chinese citizen, along with a 64-year-old Japanese male and a 60-year-old Chinese woman, has been accused of mislabeling and selling the clams as originating from Russia.

Moji Customs in Fukuoka Prefecture separately referred the individuals and the company to prosecutors on Thursday for the mislabeling violations, Mainichi Japan also reported.