Former Russian Official Referred to Prosecutors in Japan Over Trade Secrets

Tokyo police on Tuesday sent papers on a former official of Russia’s trade representation in Japan and a former worker at a machine tool manufacturer to public prosecutors over trade secrets held by the company based in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The Public Security Bureau of Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) suspects that the two men, both in their 30s, have violated the unfair competition prevention law. The former official at the Russian trade representation is believed to be a member of a division in charge of collecting scientific and technological information at Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR. He left Japan in March last year, according to investigative sources.