Japan Won’t Prosecute Ex-Toyota Exec on Drug Charges

Prosecutors have decided not to prosecute Julie Hamp, who resigned last week as Toyota Motor Corp.'s new head of communications after being arrested on suspicion of illegally importing a narcotic painkiller, sources tell the Kyodo news service.

Hamp, 55, was charged with arranging to have 57 oxycodone pills shipped to her hotel in Japan. The prescription drug can be brought into the country only with government permission and personally by the intended user.

Hamp says she intended to use the pills to ease knee pain and didn't realize that sending them to herself would violate Japan's drug laws. Kyodo says prosecutors opted to drop charges because she has resigned and her act appeared not to be malicious.

Hamp became Toyota's first female managing officer when she was appointed global head of communications in April.