2006 JAPAN INCSR PART I

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 006569 SIPDIS SIPDIS INL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR SOCI JA SUBJECT: 2006 JAPAN INCSR PART I -------------- ¶I. Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) Japan's efforts to fight drug trafficking comply with international standards. A party to the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics, Japan cooperates with other countries in intelligence sharing and law enforcement. Methamphetamine abuse remains the biggest challenge to Japanese anti-narcotics efforts, but MDMA (ecstasy) trafficking has also become a persistent problem. Cocaine and marijuana use is relatively smaller in scale, but still significant. According to Japanese authorities, all illegal drugs consumed in Japan are imported from overseas, usually by organized crime syndicates and foreign drug trafficking organizations. In spite of bureaucratic obstacles, Japanese law enforcement officials are proactively addressing the problem, and have conducted precedent-setting operations in cooperation with DEA Tokyo. Although drug seizures are down from 2005 levels, continuing short-supply-driven high street prices indicate that law enforcement has been effective. -------------- II. Status of Country -------------- ¶2. (U) Japan is ONE of the largest markets for methamphetamine in Asia. A significant source of income for Japanese organized crime syndicates, over 80 percent of all drug arrests in Japan involve methamphetamine. The National Police Agency (NPA) estimates there are 600,000 methamphetamine addicts, and between ONE and three million casual users nationwide. Authorities unofficially estimate that between four and seven metric tons is trafficked annually into Japan. MDMA has also become a significant problem in Japan; over 50,000 ecstasy tablets had been seized by police as of September 2006, and officials say that they expect MDMA abuse to increase. Marijuana use has also grown steadily in Japan since 2000. ¶3. (U) Japan is not a significant producer of narcotics. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare strictly controls some licit cultivation of opium poppies, coca plants, and cannabis for research. According to DEA and the National Police Agency, there is no evidence that methamphetamine or any other synthetic drug is manufactured domestically. -------------- III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2006 -------------- ¶4. (U) POLICY INITIATIVES: The Headquarters for the Promotion of Measures to Prevent Drug Abuse, which is part of the Prime Minister's Office (Kantei),announced the Five-Year Drug Abuse Prevention Strategy in July 2003. This strategy includes measures to increase cooperation and information-sharing among Japanese agencies as well as with foreign countries, utilize more advanced investigation techniques against organized crime syndicates, and raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare added 30 more drugs to its list of controlled substances in 2006. ¶5. (U) LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS: Japanese police are effective at gathering intelligence and making arrests, in spite of operating under a number of legal and operational constraints. Prosecutors do not have the option of plea-bargaining in Japan, which severely limits the amount of information police can extract from the people they arrest. Japan also has laws restricting the use of informants, undercover operations, and telephone intercepts. Officials nevertheless maintain detailed records of Japan-based drug trafficking, organized crime, and international drug trafficking organizations. Japan regularly shares intelligence with foreign counterparts and engages in international drug trafficking investigations. The National Police Agency and Tokyo Metropolitan Police conducted two groundbreaking operations in 2006 with DEA's assistance. Using technically sophisticated methods to attack organized crime drug traffickers, officers seized 30 kilograms of Nepalese cannabis resin in July and two kilograms of Peruvian cocaine in September. ¶6. (U) The decrease in drug seizures in 2006 could be a sign of reduced supply. The closure of several methamphetamine mega-labs in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines as well as Japan's increased international cooperation may be limiting the flow of drugs into the country. The fact that drug prices have risen in the last year strongly suggests TOKYO 00006569 002 OF 003 that there has not been an increase in the supply on the street. As of September 2006, police had seized 45 kilograms of methamphetamine, a significant decrease from the 126 kilograms confiscated during the same period in 2005. Marijuana and cannabis resin seizures as of September 2006 were 154 kilograms and 57 kilograms respectively, over a third less than the same period of the previous year. MDMA seizures during January-September fell from 350,000 tablets in 2005 to only 50,000 in 2006. Cocaine, heroin, and opium seizures remained roughly at their 2005 levels: 3 kilograms, 1 kilogram, and 3 kilograms respectively. ¶7. (U) CORRUPTION: There were no reported cases of Japanese officials being involved in drug-related corruption in Japan in 2006. The government does not encourage or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of narcotics, psychotropic drugs, controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions. ¶8. (U) AGREEMENTS AND TREATIES: Japan abandoned efforts to pass an anti-conspiracy bill this year, a major step backward for a country otherwise very progressive on fighting illegal narcotics trafficking. As a result, Japan cannot ratify the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime. Japan is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention, the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1972 Protocol amending the Single Convention, and the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. ¶9. (U) The United States-Japan Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) went into effect in August 2006, Japan's first MLAT with any country. The MLAT, which includes an extradition agreement, allows Japan's Ministry of Justice to share information and cooperate directly with the Department of Justice in connection with investigations, prosecutions and other proceedings in criminal matters. ¶10. (U) CULTIVATION/PRODUCTION: Japan is not a significant cultivator or producer of controlled substances. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare's research cultivation program produces a negligible yield of narcotic substances. ¶11. (U) DRUG FLOW/TRANSIT: Authorities believe that methamphetamine smuggled into Japan originates in the People's Republic of China (PRC),Taiwan, North Korea, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Drugs other than methamphetamine often come from the these same source countries, however airport customs officials have made several recent seizures of cocaine coming from the United States, and authorities confirm that methamphetamine and marijuana are being imported from Canada as well. Most of the MDMA in Japan originates in either the Netherlands or China. Japanese officials regularly cooperate with their international counterparts to prevent drugs from being trafficked into Japan. ¶12. (U) DOMESTIC PROGRAMS (DEMAND REDUCTION): Most drug treatment programs are small and are run by private organizations, but the government also supports the rehabilitation of addicts at prefectural (regional) centers. There are a number of government-funded drug awareness campaigns designed to inform the public about the dangers of stimulant use, especially among junior and senior high school students. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, along with prefectural governments and private organizations, continues to administer national publicity campaigns and to promote drug education programs at the community level. -------------- IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs -------------- ¶13. (U) POLICY INITIATIVES: U.S. goals and objectives include: -- Building on the successes of the last year by strengthening law enforcement cooperation related to controlled deliveries and drug-related money-laundering investigations. -- Encouraging more demand reduction programs. -- Supporting increased use of existing anti-crime legislation and advanced investigative tools against drug traffickers. -- Promoting greater involvement from government agencies responsible for financial transaction oversight. ¶14. (U) THE ROAD AHEAD: DEA Tokyo will work closely with its Japanese counterparts to offer support in conducting investigations on international drug trafficking, money- laundering, and other crimes. DEA will continue to pursue an aggressive education and information-sharing program with Japanese law enforcement agencies to foster knowledge of TOKYO 00006569 003 OF 003 money laundering investigations, and their relationship to narcotics trafficking and terrorist financing. -------------- ¶V. Data Tables -------------- ¶15. (U) Not Applicable. -------------- VI. Chemical Control -------------- ¶16. (U) The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare uses licenses to control every step in the flow of trade in precursor chemicals, including all the substances listed in Table I and Table II of the 1988 UN Drug Convention. In addition, strict control of distribution channels further limits diversion into illicit activities. There are two companies in Japan that refine ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, chemicals used to treat nasal/breathing problems that are also essential ingredients in methamphetamine. Government regulations specify the type and security of storage facilities as well as inventory, disposal, and accounting requirements. On-site inspection is used to verify compliance with these requirements. DONOVAN