The 19-year-old man, who has not been named because of his age under Japanese law, has been accused of hiding a bottle of Taedonggang beer in his baggage before boarding a flight from Shanghai to Saga Airport, according to the Fukuoka and Toyama prefectural police.
According to the police this incident could be a violation of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law.
The man reportedly said to the police that he thought he could sell the beer at a higher price and confessed to the crime.
Japan imposed unilateral sanctions against North Korea in 2006 after Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test. They mainly concern restrictions on the import and export of goods and prohibitions on the entry of North Korean ships into Japanese ports. Since the first coming into force, the sanctions have been repeatedly extended, and the list of companies, ships and individuals falling under them has been constantly expanded.
