Toyota in damage control mode after American exec arrested

Thanks for updating me about Japan

Total BS, there is no reason to mail it to yourself, ignorance of the law isn't a defense.

“Heroin, cocaine, MDMA, opium, cannabis, stimulant drugs including some prescription medications such as Adderall… are prohibited in Japan”

It ain't rocket science. Hiding this stuff doesn't look good.

Big companies top execs.... every where in the world must have in their discography in the top list the song by Judas Priest

"Breaking the law, breaking the law...."

“We are confident, however, that once the investigation is complete, it will be revealed that there was no intention on Ms Hamp’s part to violate any law.”

my thoughts exactly but only after media hype for weeks...day and night !

Making a mountain out of a molehill. Classic.

Julie Hamp, a U.S. citizen, was arrested at the Tokyo hotel where she was staying

Does she not live in Japan? Was the package being sent to the hotel?

The package, labeled “necklaces”, contained several small boxes, each holding accessories and several tablets

She's obviously not too smart. Of all the packages that customs inpectors would be interested in examining more closely to see if they might be able to charge consumption tax or customs duties (which is their primary job), it's going to be the one that's labelled as containing some type of jewellery and is being sent to a 5 star hotel (but probably only has a declared value of $10). If she had bought some chocolate bars or a book at the airport and sent that, she would probably have gotten away with this.

A foreign female exec so let`s make a huge news story out of it. This one will make loads of cash for papers.

The package, labeled “necklaces”, contained several small boxes, each holding accessories and several tablets, reports said, adding police suspect there had been an attempt to hide the drug.

OK. There it is.

With regards to my previous post, my mailing to myself was in a manner clearly conspicuous and with prior permissions.

As stands, Ms. Toyota seems to contradict her declaration of ignorance - feeling that she should attempt to 'stash' pills in and around other items - with at least borderline deception.

Ouch.

@pointofview

It is a strategy.. high profile, top exec of a big Japanese company and even that if you bring happy pills that is a big no-no. That gives a message to everybody else, is it more to set an example. Thus, the need to make a mountain

WakarimasenJUN. 19, 2015 - 03:52PM JST how did toyota appoint a drug trafficker to such a senior role?

Many Americans have been arrested before for bringing medication with them that they were legally prescribed at home, and even over-the counter medications like Sudafed. You have to remember this is Japan.

Hamp: You have 28 days to get your story right.

Wow, looking like we are heading towards guilty! seems like whoever mailed them was trying to conceal, not good!

Hope we hear the end of this & if guilty toss her in the clink!

She was released three weeks later following interventions from members of Congress and diplomats in Tokyo.

This bit about the teacher was very interesting. Sounds like a slam-dunk case under Japanese law, and they used the full 21day "interrogation" period on her, but high level diplomatic intervention saved her.

Your average Joe Gaijin probably wouldn't be so lucky.

Apparently she has a twitter account.

https://twitter.com/juliehamptoyota

Where she writes:

If you obey all of the rules, you miss all of the fun - Katherine Hepburn

M3M Good research. Of course she has a Twitter account, she is a PR flack. and now it comes back to bite her. Seems to me she is a naughty girl. should have gone to a quack here in Japan and got her fix legally.

Many Americans have been arrested before for bringing medication with them that they were legally prescribed at home, and even over-the counter medications like Sudafed. You have to remember this is Japan.

Except that so far she has not produced a prescription, and the pills were not in a pharmacy bottle with her name on it, they were apparenly separated into small amounnts, each amount being put into a small box. And even in America, mailing Oxycodone tablets (or pot, or any other controlled substance) is a federal crime, unless they are being delivered to or from a hospital, doctor's office, or pharmacy, which in this situation is obviously not the case.

Right now Miss Hamp is probbaly sitting in a detention cell in Shinagawa. The Japanese will not want to go to the expense and trouble of trying her and imprisoning her. She will be deported like most other foreigners who are arrested for drugs, most likely within a week or so. When she gets back to America she can meet the FBI at the airport, I am sure the Japanese will hand over their evidence, and Miss Hamp will have to defend herself from the crime of using the postal service in the commission of a crime. She'll probably be ROR'd and plead guilty to a lesser charge, but I think she has seen the end of any career as a senior executive.

Wow! After reading this story I feel like downing a bottle of whisky (Scottish) or two.... perfectly legal .......::

But how far Toyota's executive is responsible if a parcel is sent by Julie Hamp to her address ?

She could claim it was a set up, and maybe rightly so, but Japan isn't the place to deal with it if she truly has a substance abuse problem.

Japanese media reports, citing police investigators, said 57 addictive Oxycodone pills were found in a small parcel labelled “necklaces” that was sent from Kentucky and addressed to Hamp in Japan. The pills were in packets or buried at the bottom of the parcel, which also contained toy pendants and necklaces, they said.

Wow. Amazing how tight-lipped Japanese "police investigators" can be in some, actually most cases -- like not even releasing the suspect's name -- but, here, every single detail has been leaked. Certainly no double-standard, right? Just a coincidence that a foreign woman is involved, right?

After the twitter boom. There're no real reporters anymore. News like this makes me feel bad about society

Wasn't there a case recently where an English teacher new to Japan had a medication mailed from the USA to her by her mother? This executive certainly slipped up. She probably would have not been caught had she simply brought them in her suitcase or carry-on bag.

Drug problem:

I am not a doctor but I believe a normal prescription of Oxycodone after major surgery is 7-10 pills. They do their job as a pain killer very well. I needed them to recover peacefully from a 4 hour surgery. She had 57 pills and hasn't presented a prescription. I can't help but wonder why.

Legal problem:

She made a real effort at concealing the 57 pills and mailing them to herself in Japan. Mailing such items in the USA is illegal. Receiving such items in Japan is illegal.

Toyota may have chosen the wrong person for the job.

The same Toyota board restricting the new “Model AA” stocks that carry voting rights priced 26% above the value of its common shares during several trading days in July.

Let's be clear new communications chief Julie Hamp, an American and its first senior woman executive, is cannon fodder pure and simple. There will be implications to overseas sales watch and learn

Thinking about it, she's so bad into these pills she needed more than 50 of them for her stay in Japan, and her desire for these made her do stupid things and risk a lot... I read you need less than 10 pilsafter a bad operation. Her arrest will probably ween her off, cold turkey mode, and than can only be beneficial for her. Not very good for Toyota's PR, damage control is really the right word here.

To me, executives and staff are like my children,” he said. “It’s the responsibility of a parent to protect his children and, if a child causes problems, it’s also a parent’s responsibility to apologise.”

I for one am glad I do not work for Toyota, I have two parents and need no more. I will not and do not take responsibility nor apologize for the actions of my adult children, they are adults and if they do something wrong it's on them.

This is part of the problem with Japan in today's world.

Karirb, exactly. The report on NHK said that the way she packed them makes the think she knew they were forbidden and was trying to around the law.

By the way, what are you supposed to do if you are prescribed Adderol and come to Japan? They seriously can't expect people to quit to come here...

By the way, what are you supposed to do if you are prescribed Adderol and come to Japan? They seriously can't expect people to quit to come here...

They can and they do.

It's up to people on whether or not they still want to come under those circumstances.

Paul McCartney, circa 1979, all over again. It would seem she was attempting to hide them, but another case of a high profile 'gaijin' thumbing their nose at the local laws.

Are you sure the name isn't Julie Hemp? Cuz this girl's gotta be on somethin to think she'd get away with this.

Hemp doesn't contain any psychoactive substances.

What if she had declared "medicine for ailments prescribed by a doctor"...what do you think would happen in that case?

You've got to really applaud Japan's Customs Department! If they were that good in the USA Mexican Drug Cartels wouldn't exist.

So it was rather startling to hear Toyoda referring to Hamp with the term "shi" 氏

Educator60, this actually isn't that surprising -- "Yougisha" is something that the media, not the representatives of a suspect's employer, attach to a person's name. While she looks pretty guilty, she is still legally innocent until proven so, and I support her company's continued use of a respectful title for her.

Japan's medical profession is decades behind the developed world. Even now, there are are people who import medical equipment, not certified in Japan (but certified by American medical authorities) to Japanese doctors and institutions here. The doctors and staff often have never even heard of or been aware of major medical breakthroughs outside Japan, due to the protectionism of the government, and the siloing of various medical staff and organisations. It's like the third world here for medical breakthroughs.

It's the same for medicine. Most foreigners here being their own medication from home, due to the extremely poor state of Japanese medicine.

Nihon gambarre yo.

Oxycodone is strong pain killer and only prescribe for short term use. Most countries will issue 12 or 24 pills at a time because it is very addictive plus it is highly value on the black market. A doctor will prescribe this med for impact injuries and severe pain while waiting for surgery. It not meant for long term use. She will have to prove she obtain 50 plus pills legally in the USA which will be very hard. I reason she a prescriptive drug addict. She be deported within 12 months back to the USA were the charge like this plus the position she holds will see her serve none goal time at all.

Japanese customs officials do not make on-the-spot ‘humanitarian’ exceptions

What does this mean? "American" exceptions?

Ms. Hamp, a former General Motors Co and PepsiCo Inc executive, must have professional treatment.

First, Kentucky? Why not write: "Illegal Drugs Enclosed for Recreational Use" on the package?

Pain medication addiction is so common this matter should have been addressed professionally before Ms. Hamp hatched the plan to ship drugs from Kentucky to Japan.

One approach would have been to seek medical help, have a diagnosis for a nerve pinch and engage some of Japan's finest treatment options. Ms. Hamp could have been honest with herself but she wasn't.

Another approach would have included a truthful examination with her doctor before her departure and an approved prescription and treatment plan would have been designed. Ms. Hamp could have been honest with her Doctor but she wasn't.

Now it's a Police matter, an International Police matter, and Toyota doesn't deserve this. Ms. Hamp needs professional treatment and that may still be an option if she can finally be honest and truthful. Otherwise, Ms. Hamp has made a professional error few recover from.

Toyota President Akio Toyoda should be praised for his courage and compassion. Ms. Hamp owes him more than thanks. Toyota President Akio Toyoda has proved a sprit of forgiveness that should be a model but this does not relieve the accused of criminal intent. This wasn't the case of a joint tucked in her shoe.

Post surgical application of Oxycondone can be administered at 5mg per four hours for pain, or six pills per day, a total of thirty pills for a five day recovery. This pain medication cannot be used as a 'weekend get away'.

Ms. Hamp needs help, she is most likely an addict who cannot admit her condition. She should be grateful and drop the pretense "she did not think she had imported an illegal substance".

Well good thing for "Ms. Hemp" it was not "legally-prescribed THC from the US" being brought into Singapore - Americans should know that it is still illegal in many places, including a few which means automatic death penalty!

@Rik314

Paul McCartney, circa 1979, all over again. It would seem she was attempting to hide them, but another case of a high profile 'gaijin' thumbing their nose at the local laws.

Um, compared to Sir Paul, her profile is non-existent. And 36 years ago...when will it stop?

What is not noted in this article about the teacher who was arrested and deported a few months ago, was that she was coming in from Korea and she too also attempted to hide the drug, that and this is simply no case of misunderstanding or accident, both cases appear to be deliberate attempts to circumvent the law.

@xrc:

It is entirely possible this medicine has been prescribed by a doctor, but extremely unlikely in this amount. As others have said, after a serious operation an individual might need something like 10 pills in total during recovery. This is a painkiller, but it's nothing remotely close to say, aspirin.

Were it 5-6 pills, maybe. If she needs 57? We're talking Michael Jackson pill-popping here.

@Tina

Japanese customs officials do not make on-the-spot ‘humanitarian’ exceptions

What does this mean? "American" exceptions?

It means that in some countries, even if you import an illegal drug, the customs officer who confiscates your pills can allow you to take some of them - while you wait for a local doctor to perscribe something else or a return flight - if strictly enforcing the law would cause pain and suffering or death. Obviously you aren't going to be allowed to leave the airport with them.

Although it doesn't seem such a big deal as even 57 pills could be for her own use over a long period in Japan (and it doesn't seem likely she needs to moonlight as a dealer on the side based on her position at Toyota), it sounds pretty obvious that the pills were incorrectly described as 'necklaces' on purpose. The irony being that she really will need such pills if she ends up in prison in Japan.

I remember I watched many US TV programs to learn Engish; one drama had music that went like: "If you do the crime, you gotta do the time."

I am not a doctor but I believe a normal prescription of Oxycodone after major surgery is 7-10 pills.

As others have said, after a serious operation an individual might need something like 10 pills in total during recovery.

Post surgical application of Oxycondone can be administered at 5mg per four hours for pain, or six pills per day, a total of thirty pills for a five day recovery.

Mum was prescribed 70 - yes 70 - x 5 mg tablets of oxycodone after hip surgery in March 2014 by a US orthopedic surgeon.

$57 pills? Don't USA doctors prescribe max 30 pills a month and patients have to call pharmacy to refill? I am old so I get prescription. To prevent heart attack, one baby aspirin a day, I am not familiar about her case but 57 sounds too much to bring out of US. BTW, I often forget to take a baby aspirin but I am still alive. I should not write here as I am not familiar with pain.

If she has physical addiction, she may go through withdrawal while in a Japanese jail. It would be nice if that process could be medically managed but that may not be possible.

Toshiko - see above - my mum was prescribed 70 Oxycodone tablets by a US surgeon. They DO give more than people believe. But in her case this was post-op. I can`t comment on chronic conditions.

However - as many people rightly point out, these are heavy-duty pain meds. Meds to treat the kind of pain that would make you barely able to move, never mind work. So unless this lady was post surgery which I seriously doubt, or had a very obvious medical condition that everyone around her would almost certainly have been aware of, then I can think of only one other reason why she had so many on her, and why she posted them to herself in Japan.

If she had been stopped at customs carrying them, or even posted them labeled "prescription meds" with a copy of her prescription, I could have believed that it was a genuine mistake. But broken into smaller lots and hidden inside toys in a package labelled "necklaces"? Come on. Shes been busted. She must accept it. Shes screwed.

@Nathakie: Thank you for info.

Japan's medical profession is decades behind the developed world. Even now, there are are people who import medical equipment, not certified in Japan (but certified by American medical authorities) to Japanese doctors and institutions here. The doctors and staff often have never even heard of or been aware of major medical breakthroughs outside Japan, due to the protectionism of the government, and the siloing of various medical staff and organisations. It's like the third world here for medical breakthroughs.

Yup, yup, yup...and to all the idiots complaining about tpp, this is one thing that should change too.

If UK media reports are correct Ms Hamp is bang to rights, Hamp comes over as rather arrogant. It's as if J-laws don't apply.

M3M3M3, I see, thank you.

Oxycodone. Big deal.

Certainly,she may be an addict,but this is insane.I often have prescription drugs mailed to me.not anymore .with more and more visitors coming to Japan,this could become a serious problem.Japanese laws are seriously out dated and ambiguous.

@hibey: In USA, I believe prescribed medicines are not mailed by pharmacies. I could be wrong because I only buy a baby aspirin jar about once in a month. The same time I pick up vitamin and calcium jar. Do Japanese pharmacy mail to patients?

Getting Oxycon sent to you in a package from Kentucky, a place known for Oxycontin aka "hillbilly heroin", is pretty dumb. At a minimum she is guilty of bad judgement and will be sacked...

…so Ms Hamp is under arrest for having a package addressed to her? who mailed that package, and when? (since Ms H has been in Japan a month? I think I read). and describing the contents thusly "necklaces" seems like asking for trouble… all very suss… or has she said somewhere that she's responsible? or what?

So - let's see what Spin-Doctor Hamp can dream up to save herself.

How did someone this dumb have a such a high paying job?

The parcel was sent from Kentucky on June 8. She appeared to be in Japan on June 8th. Therefore, if someone sent it on her behalf she could plead ignorance, and take the stance that she did not know they would have tried to disguise the contents. Hmmm....then again, this isn't an OTC drug so she must have been fully aware that it was illegal to have it mailed. I don't condone wrong doings, but I kind of feel sorry for her.

Still, she would be in a mess, as it has been disclosed that she did a health check after the incident, and was found not to be in need of that drug. It could have been for someone else or substance abuse. Maybe they will now check for the substance in her blood. Then again, the drug is available as a prescription drug in Japan, so availability for legal use shouldn't have been a problem. Hmmm....maybe this could be a blessing in disguise for her where her health is concerned. Shoganai.

There goes the white privilege myth.

Classification of controlled substances differ between the US to Japan. Ms. Hamp should have been informed or aware of that. The way the drugs were shipped looks suspicious, but no more suspicious than the way viagra pills are shipped or sex toys labeled as dietary supplements or computer parts. Someone may have wanted to frame a foreign female executive invading a Japanese business bastion. We won't know until and if the full outcome of the investigations is revealed.

Poor judgement, unfortunate outcome, pitiful addiction.

My question is what's going to happen during the Olympics when tons of people come over with prescription meds they thought wouldn't be a problem because they had a prescription?

sfjp330Jun. 19, 2015 - 04:08PM JST Many Americans have been arrested before for bringing medication with them that they were legally prescribed at home, and even over-the counter medications like Sudafed. You have to remember this is Japan.

Actually people are arrested all over the world for that sort of thing, you have to remember that not all countries are as lenient with prescription abuse as the US.

Over blown nonsense i.m.o, but “To me, executives and staff are like my children,” he said. “It’s the responsibility of a parent to protect his children and, if a child causes problems, it’s also a parent’s responsibility to apologise.”

That is quit a statement!

This is most " regretable" but I'm sure they will " sincerely reflect on the situation", "collect all relevant information swiftly " and "take appropriate action speedily ", "to avoid public confusion" - "we will consider forming an expert panel".

The template for all guilty incidents in the archipelago.

Sometime people in public positions or political positions cannot divulge their real health conditions. It will make them look unfit for positions of responsibility. This woman may have a good reason for using such medicine. What saddens me still, is that anyone could feel entitled to judge another person for taking the right ( human right ), to make personal choices related to their health and well being. Pain,chronic or temporar, is a serious debilitating problem for many, too many.