Toyota executive Hamp arrested in Japan on suspected painkiller-delivery violation

TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s head of public-relations, an American and its first female top executive, was detained Thursday on a suspected breach of Japan's drug regulations for delivering a pain-killer through the post, Tokyo authorities said. Julie Hamp, who had been named managing official and chief communications officer for Toyota in April, advised authorities she didn't believe she'd imported an unlawful material, a spokesman for Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Division stated.
"Toyota continues to be made conscious of Ms. Hamp's arrest, but has no additional facts in light of the continuing investigation by the authorities," Toyota said in a statement. "We're assured, nonetheless, that after the probe is complete, it'll be disclosed that there is no intent by Ms. Hamp to break any legislation."
The police spokesman stated Oxycontin was sent via global post in the US to Tokyo's Narita Airport. The bundle was sent June 8 from the United States and intercepted by customs agents at the airport on June 11, he said. Hamp was detained at a Tokyo hotel, he explained.
He added that just specially specified events were permitted to import the drug under Japanese legislation. The police spokesman stated he did not need info about exactly how many tablets were confiscated, but Japan's NHK nationwide broadcaster said the package had 5 7 supplements.
Hamp, 55, a former General Motors executive, was the very first girl to join the leading executive positions at Toyota when she was named to her place in April.
She was employed by Toyota Motor North America three years back as the business sought to fix an image battered with a sequence of recalls and class action lawsuits. She'd formerly invested five years at PepsiCo and, before that, 25 years at General Motors Corporation.
Conflicting laws
Japan's stringent drug enforcement regulations in many cases are at odds with those of America. It's prohibited to generate even over-the-counter medications typical in the United States, including such cool medications as Sudafed or Actifed.
The differing criteria might be rude awakening to unsuspecting Americans. The web site for the U.S. Embassy in Japan has a specific area on Japan's strict laws, warning Americans to also exercise care when having medications sent to them from overseas. "If you don't follow along with Japanese law, you might be arrested and detained," it states.
Before this season, Japanese authorities detained an aspiring English teacher from Oregon, after her mom sent her a package of Adderall to treat ADHD. Based on local media reports, the girl's mom is a doctor and issued the prescription but sent it in a unmarked package for privacy factors.
Japan forbids White Cross as a stimulant, despite the fact that it's available by prescription in America.
The girl was detained for 18 days and introduced just after members of Congress and U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, interceded on her behalf, reports stated.
The girl later stated she was shocked from the arrest and did not understand about Japan's Adderall prohibition. But she told The Oregonian newspaper the detention facility was "not something terrifying," according to the Associated Press wire service.
That report mentioned she was fed bento box dishes throughout her detention in the facility and did day-to-day chores.
Reuters and Hans Greimel of Automotive News contributed to the report.

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17.06.2015
ID:2359

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