Posted on 06/18/2013 8:58:50 PM PDT by TexGrill
TAIPEI--Suspicion is growing that Taiwan was used as a conduit for exporting products from Japan that can be used to develop weapons of mass destruction.
The suspicion surfaced after a corruption case involving the customs office in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, came to light early this month.
Because Taiwan does not belong to the United Nations, concern is growing that it is serving as a loophole in the international system that aims to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
On June 5, the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office arrested seven officials of the Kaohsiung Customs office on suspicion of approving companies declarations based on forged documents in exchange for money.
Investigations into the incident found that products such as vacuum pumps and ball bearings have been exported to Taiwan from Japan. The prosecutors office checked documents from this year and found seven or eight similar cases.
According to the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, large-sized, high-standard vacuum pumps and precision ball bearings are subject to export restrictions because the pumps could be used in uranium enrichment and the ball bearings could be used to develop missiles.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajw.asahi.com ...
Would not be the first time Japan sold us down the river.
http://lubbers-line.blogspot.com/2005/10/toshiba-and-russian-espionage-again.html
I’ll never buy another Toshiba product as long as I live.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.