Japanese Politician, 70, On Trial In China After Being Caught With 3Kg Of Crystal Meth

Two African defendants said to be involved in smuggling attempt also face charges punishable by death

The politician Takuma Sakuragi was caught with meth at the Baiyuan International Airport in Guangzhou last year. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

A 70-year-old Japanese politician stood trial this morning in Guangzhou, facing drug charges punishable by death, with his defence lawyers arguing he did not know he was carrying more than 3kg of narcotics in his bag.

Takuma Sakuragi pleaded not guilty to charges of carrying illegal drugs at the Guangzhou City Intermediate People’s Court, the South China Morning Post reports.

The indictment stated that Sakuragi flew from Nagoya to Guangzhou on October 29 last year. He checked into a hotel in Sanyuanli, Baiyun district, with the help of an African identified as Gemadi Hassan.

Hassan handed Sakuragi a piece of luggage containing women’s platform shoes, which he was supposed to bring to Japan and pass on to a third party, the indictment paper said.

Sakuragi is a member of the Inazawa municipal assembly in Aichi prefecture in southern Japan. Apart from being a city councillor, Sakuragi previously travelled to China for his private trading business.

On October 31, Sakuragi was scheduled to take a flight to Japan via Shanghai, but was stopped by airport security. They found drugs inside the soles of the shoes and inside the suitcase's retractable handle.

There were 28 bags of methamphetamine in all, weighing 3,289 grams.

Two other Africans – Aly Yattabare, 35, from Mali, and Mohamed Soumah, 39, from Guinea – were arrested in connection with the case and were standing trial with Sakuragi, according to the court.

The Japanese defendant’s lawyer, Chen Weixiong – a Guangzhou-based lawyer who can speak Japanese – said on Tuesday that leading this case made him feel like Don Quixote, a brash and chivalric character in Spanish litreature.

“[It’s because we are] attempting the impossible,” Chen said. “The biggest challenge now is the fact that he did carry 3,200 grams of [drugs] in his bag.

”We are going to argue he was not aware of the existence of drugs,” he said. “We will try our best. The best outcome would be [an acquittal].”

Sakuragi’s Finnish wife and their son arrived with Chen this morning. The South China Morning Post witnessed that the wife appeared extremely tense, holding her passport with one hand and clutching a man escorting her with the other.

Wearing a hat and glasses, the elderly woman appeared to be shaking and fearful of being approached by journalists.

However, most reporters – including a big contingent of Japanese media – were shut out from the hearing. The court only allowed Chinese state-run or pro-government outlets such as CCTV, Xinhua, China News Services, the Guangzhou Daily, Nanfang Daily and the Yangcheng Evening News.

Lianhe Zaobao, a Chinese newspaper in Singapore, and Japanese daily Yomiuri were also allowed to cover the trial.

More than 40 media organisations applied to cover the scheduled three-day hearing weeks ahead, but were rejected at the last minute.

”Priorities are given to consulate staff, representatives of the People’s Congress, and political advisory bodies and legal staff,” court staff said.

According to a Japanese journalist who was in the hearing, Sakuragi pleaded not guilty just after 10.30am. Sakuragi was wearing a black suit, no tie and his ankles were shackled.

The hearing is scheduled to run for three days, court staff said.

According to the indictment, the two African defendants were arrested on November 19 in Guangzhou. Police seized about 10 grams of meth in Yattabare’s apartment on the night of his arrest.

The police also seized about eight grams of meth, women's platform shoes and wrapping materials for drugs and plastic tape from Soumah's apartment.

“There is one accomplice believed to be a Nigerian who is still at large at the moment,” Chen told reporters outside the court.

Previously, in 2010, four Japanese nationals were executed in China for carrying drugs. Mainland law states that any possession of illegal drugs exceeding 50 grams warrants the death penalty.