Export Violaton of Vacuum Pump shipped to North Korea

Export violation incident is reported in Japan on June 12th. Let me summarize this violation case.

Ship-to: North Korea via Taiwan in 2003
Item: Vacuum Pomp, which is listed as export license required item in Export Trade Control Order Attachment List No. 1, Category 2 (35), as (xxxv) Vacuum pumps used in separators for uraniumisotopes.
Manufacturer: Tokyo Vacuum　（日本語社名：東京真空）, machine manufacturing, established on 1992, the capital is 10 millions yen, number of employees: 15 persons.
Exporter: Nakano Corp.　（日本語社名：ナカノ・コーポレーション） , small trading house, established on 1975, the capital is 10 millions yen, number of employees: 2 persons.

Both manufacture and exporter seem that they are not aware of export control law. However, vacuum pomp is clearly mentioned as export license required item in Export Trade Control Order. It is required to apply export license to METI in exporting to ALL countries. "Oh, we didn't know that" cannot be accepted as excuse. In addition, it is doubtful (probably NOT done) whether exporter, Nakano Corporation, fully screened their Taiwan distributor and its end-use.
The investigation is on-going and the facts are unknown yet.


=== Quotation by Japan Times on June 13, 2008 ===

IAEA found Japan-made pump in N. Korean nuke facility

YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) Police have raided a manufacturing company in Kanagawa Prefecture after the International Atomic Energy Agency said it found a Japanese-made vacuum pump at a nuclear facility in North Korea last year, sources said Thursday.

Kanagawa police searched Tokyo Vacuum, the maker of the pump, and trade agent Nakano Corp. of Minato Ward, Tokyo, in early June on suspicion that the pump, used in a uranium enrichment device, was shipped to North Korea via Taiwan, the sources said.

Following the U.N. nuclear watchdog's report of its finding to the Japanese government, police raided the two firms on suspicion of unauthorized export in violation of the foreign trade law, they said.

By law, exports of devices that can be diverted for use in making weapons of mass destruction must be approved in advance by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. But the two firms exported several vacuum pumps to Taiwan in summer 2003 without approval.
Police suspect the Taiwanese trading firm that imported the pumps shipped at least one of them to North Korea. They have dispatched officers to Taiwan to investigate. The firm was not identified.

A Tokyo Vacuum spokesman claimed the company did not know the device would be used in North Korea's nuclear facility, without adding further comment on the illegal export. Nakano Corp. confirmed it was searched by police and also said it had no knowledge the device would be exported to North Korea.

(Source: The Japan Times: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080613a3.html )