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Japan to crack down on illegal trade
2007-01-21
Japan plans to stiffen penalties against those engaged in illegal trade with North Korea as part of Tokyo's efforts to crack down on its communist neighbor for its missile tests and nuclear weapons program, a news report said Sunday. The new laws would give prison terms of up to a year to people refusing to have their cargo inspected by Japanese customs officials and provide prison time for ship captains or airplane pilots who make false customs declarations, Kyodo News agency reported, citing unidentified government officials. The revisions would also include a fivefold hike in the maximum prison term and fines for exporters who file false customs forms. Under current law, captains and pilots are only punishable by fines up to $4,160 for false cargo claims, while exporters are subject to prison terms of one year or maximum fines of $8,300, Kyodo reported. Officials from Japan's Justice Ministry were not immediately available for comment Sunday afternoon. In the wake of North Korea's October nuclear test, Japan banned all of the North's vessels from Japanese ports and all imports from North Korea, along with severely limiting travel from the country.
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