Japanese Police Raid Trade Company Under Chongryon... Investigating North Korea Remittances

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department conducted a raid on a trading company under the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) on suspicion of illegal remittances to North Korea, Fuji News Network (FNN), a private broadcaster, reported.

According to the report, the police raided a total of eight locations, including Tokai Shoji (東海商事), a trading company located in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, and another company in Tokyo, Tomei Shoji (東明商事), along with their business partners.

Tokai Shoji is suspected of importing rice straw, used as tatami materials, from a company in Dalian, China, since 2020, and remitting payment for goods using the accounts of other companies such as Tomei Shoji.

The police are investigating on the grounds that Tokai Shoji disguised the imports as being made through other companies and sent the import payments to China, with the possibility that the money flowed into North Korea.

Overseas remittances by Tokai Shoji are prohibited.

The Japanese government has imposed unilateral sanctions against North Korea, including a complete ban on exports and imports, denial of entry to ships with North Korean cargo or port call history, citing North Korea's nuclear and missile development, and remittances to North Korea are also basically prohibited.

Tokai Shoji is a trading company established by Chongryon, with branches in Pyongyang and Beijing, and is known to handle seafood, steel, and other products.