According to the Mainichi Daily News (Japan):
The president of a motorcycle sales company in Hiroshima was arrested Thursday for allegedly exporting pianos to North Korea in violation of Japanese government trade sanctions.
Hiroshima and Hyogo police suspect Yutaka Oyama, 60, exported 22 used upright pianos from Kobe port to North Korea through China’s Dalian on Nov. 5, 2008, without obtaining permissions from the economy, trade and industry minister.
Oyama has admitted to exporting the pianos during interviews with Kyodo News, saying he had “no other work” amid an economic downturn.
The police raided his office and home in April and confiscated items such as a personal computer and a mobile phone.
Japan in October 2006 banned imports from North Korea and exports to the country of luxury goods, including musical instruments, under economic sanctions designed to penalize Pyongyang for the nuclear test it conducted earlier that month.
The sanctions were strengthened in June last year with all exports banned, in response to another nuclear test the previous month and the North’s past abductions of Japanese nationals.
Read the full story here:
Motorcycle dealer arrested over illegal export to North Korea
Mainichi Daily News
9/16/2010
