The Japanese cooperate fully with regard to USG fugitive transit requests. Law Enforcement Efforts. Cocaine and heroin use is small but growing. In July, customs authorities in Yokohama seized 552 kgs of methamphetamines that was being smuggled from Taiwan. Other significant drug seizures in 1996 included the seizure of over 3,000 tablets of diazepan from a Thai citizen at Narita Airport, and 7.5 kgs of cocaine discovered aboard a ship in Yokohama.
Japan has no known drug-related corruption.
Agreements and Treaties. Japan has no narcotics-specific bilateral agreement with the US or with any other country. Nonetheless, the DEA reports excellent cooperation between authorities of the two countries in implementing the bilateral extradition treaty. Cooperation with Japanese law enforcement authorities on other matters on an informal basis is generally good. However, the lack of an mutual legal assistance treaty impairs the ability of Japanese and foreign law enforcement agencies to investigate crimes with a nexus in Japan.