IRANIAN EXPAT COMMUNITIES IN JAPAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 003073 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/RA, ISN/CPI, AND EEB E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2018 TAGS: ETTC ETRD EINV PREL ECON KCRM IR JA SUBJECT: IRANIAN EXPAT COMMUNITIES IN JAPAN Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Iranian expatriates in Japan broadly fall within two categories, according to the Director of the Japan Institute of Middle East Economic Studies. One group comprises legitimate businessmen, mostly in Tokyo. The other, he asserted, is concentrated in central Japan and consists almost entirely of illegal aliens many of whom are involved in the illicit drug trade. End Summary. LEGITIMATE IRANIAN BUSINESSMEN MUST REPORT TO IRANIAN EMBASSY -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Koichiro Tanaka, Director of the Japan Institute of Middle East Economic Studies, told Emboff he maintains an extensive network of contacts among the Iranian expat business community in Tokyo. There are many legitimate Iranian expatriates living in Japan, Tanaka said. Most are married to Japanese and have started businesses. Tanaka estimates Iranian expatriates and Iranians who have married and gained Japanese citizenship total about 7,000. According to the Ministry of Justice, there are 5,136 registered expatriate Iranians living in Japan. The Iranian Embassy strongly encourages even longtime Japan resident Iranians to report contact with Western officials to them. In this regard, the Iranian Embassy in Japan is more assertive than in other locations like Dubai, where the expatriate Iranian community is larger and more difficult to control, Tanaka said. In Japan, Iranians are worried about what might be reported by other Iranians about them to the Iranian Embassy, Tanaka explained. Iranian expatriates in Japan do not open up as easily as Iranians Tanaka has met elsewhere in the world. ILLEGAL IRANIANS RUN ILLICIT DRUG DISTRIBUTION -------------- - ¶3. (C) Sources from both the National Police Agency (NPA) and Tanaka told Emboffs most illegal Iranians in Japan are engaged in illicit drug trade. Although five Iranians were arrested for selling cocaine and stimulants in Tokyo October 30, according to press reports, most appear to be in Aichi and Gifu prefectures. Statistics from the first half of 2007 show 32 Brazilians arrested on drug related charges compared with 13 Iranians. However, the registered Brazilian population in the prefecture is over 76,000, compared with only 263 Iranians. Aichi police also say most Brazilians arrested for drugs are personal users, while most Iranians are dealers. The drugs involved are mostly ecstasy and methamphetamines, Takana said. ¶4. (C) Both Tanaka and National Police officials say a loose network of illegal alien Iranians drug distributers has formed between the Chinese Mafia and the drug users. The cooperation between illegal Iranian aliens and Chinese gangs, as well as Japanese Yakuza, is purely economic. Tanaka cited the Iranian economic problems of high inflation and unemployment in Iran as the impetus for this illicit entrepreneurialism. Proceeds are remitted to Iran to help families in the failing economy make ends meet, Tanaka said. SCHIEFFER