Unauthorized Export of Spray Dryer to Major Korean Corporation
Likely Used in Manufacturing Lithium-Ion Batteries
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jaehee] It has been reported that Japanese police are investigating a domestic company that illegally exported equipment to Korea, which is subject to export controls and could potentially be used for military purposes.
According to Kyodo News on the 26th, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department arrested three individuals, including Masaaki Okawara, president of Okawara Kakoki, a manufacturing company based in Yokohama, Japan, on suspicion of unauthorized export (violation of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act) of a "spray dryer" that could be used to manufacture biological weapons.
President Okawara and others are suspected of exporting one set of spray dryer worth approximately 8 million yen (about 91.65 million KRW) to a major Korean corporation manufacturing chemical products on February 21, 2018, without obtaining permission from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, despite knowing it was subject to export controls.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department reportedly believes that the Korean company that imported the spray dryer likely used the equipment in the production of lithium-ion batteries, according to Kyodo News.
The police initially began investigating Okawara Kakoki on suspicion of unauthorized export of the spray dryer to China but expanded the investigation after discovering evidence that the equipment had been exported to Korea.
A spray dryer is a device that sprays and dries liquids to convert them into powder, commonly used in food or pharmaceutical manufacturing. However, high-performance models could potentially be misused for manufacturing biological weapons.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry regulates the export of spray dryers without permission under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act and related laws.
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