Tokyo police arrested company President Kazusaku Tezuka and four other executives and employees of Mitutoyo Corp. Friday, Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reports.
Police say Mitutoyo illegally exported a precision measuring tool to Iran, which the West alleges is developing a nuclear-weapons program. The tool can measure centrifuges used in uranium enrichment.
Another device was discovered in Libya, police say.
Police allege the suspects made repeated sales they knew were illegal to increase profits, the newspaper reports.
Police also suspect Mitutoyo exported similar equipment to a company connected with Iran’s nuclear program through an Iranian trading company based in Tokyo, Kyodo News agency says.
Mitutoyo was not open for business Friday to comment on the arrests.
