Fentanyl Trafficking from China: A New and Escalating Concern

United States Ambassador George Glass has warned that Japan must help prevent fentanyl trafficking through its territory. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on June 26, he said that synthetic opioids like fentanyl and methamphetamine are taking many lives in the US. He emphasized that the “Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is deliberately fueling the crisis” by trafficking “precursor chemicals.” Glass called for international cooperation to block transshipment through Japan.

In April, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the US Department of the Treasury released its 2024 report on fentanyl, identifying China as a “major supplier” of precursor materials. The Trump administration imposed additional tariffs of 25% on Mexico and Canada, and 20% on China, citing responsibility for fentanyl inflows. However, it had not previously implicated Japan in any such activities.

Reports of Nagoya Trafficking Hub

On June 26, Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that a Chinese criminal group allegedly set up a fentanyl trafficking base in Nagoya aimed at shipping drugs to the US. Following this, Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa held a press conference on June 30, calling it a “grave issue.” He stated that the city would investigate and coordinate with Aichi Prefectural Police.

Hirosawa added that the suspected company had reportedly withdrawn from Nagoya. The mayor also promised to intensify drug-abuse prevention education.

National Diet Raises Fentanyl Alarm

Japanese lawmakers began voicing concerns about fentanyl over a year ago. In a 2024 session, Sohei Kamiya, leader of the Sanseito party, warned that Japan “must not underestimate the threat posed by synthetic opioids like fentanyl.”

Citing US data showing over 100,000 opioid-related deaths in both 2021 and 2022, he highlighted the devastating impact of the drug, particularly in cities like Philadelphia. Kamiya expressed concern that fentanyl, sometimes mixed with heroin, methamphetamine, or even animal tranquilizers, could eventually flow into Japan, whether directly or disguised.

He also noted that traffickers were producing chemically altered analogues of fentanyl to evade detection, making enforcement more difficult.

Government Reassurances and International Cooperation

In response to the growing concern, Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato stated on June 27 that no fentanyl had been seized at Japan’s borders over the past six years. However, he did not address the issue of precursor chemicals. Those remain a central concern in US intelligence and enforcement reports.

At a separate press briefing, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya declared that any unauthorized import or export of fentanyl “will never be tolerated.” He emphasized that Japan will continue working closely with the United States and other countries to combat global trafficking networks.

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