Extradition from Japan—9/11 Fraud

Two Japanese individuals, Hidetoshi Cho and Toshiko Yamasaki, are about to be handed over to the United States after a Tokyo High Court judge ruled on September 26 that the Japanese government can legally extradite them to the United States where they are wanted for defrauding US aid organizations in the aftermath of 9/11.^[1] The two individuals are accused of swindling checks worth a total of US$14,500 out of aid organizations including the US Red Cross, even though they suffered no damage during the terrorist attacks.^[2] The two are also accused of conspiring to defraud the US government out of US$1 million in October 2001 by attempting to take out a post-disaster loan, claiming that their business had suffered from the incident; the loan was not approved.^[3]

The two have been detained since July after a request for their extradition was made in June.^[4] On October 3, Justice Minister Chieko Nono issued an order to have the two handed over to the United States.^[5]

According to the extradition treaty between Japan and the United States, fraud is an offense for which extradition can be granted.^[6]

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[1] Japan to Hand Over Pair to U.S. Over 9/11 Attacks-Linked Fraud, Kyodo News, Oct. 13, 2005, available here.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Id.
[6] Extradition Treaty, Mar. 3, 1978, U.S.-Japan, art. II, para. 1, 31 U.S.T. 892 (incorporating paragraph 16 of the appendix).