TOKYO—Former Toyota Motor Corp. executive Julie Hamp was
released from custody in Tokyo on Wednesday without charge, 20 days
after she was arrested for allegedly bringing tablets of the
painkiller oxycodone into Japan without permission, prosecutors
said.
Representatives of Toyota declined to comment. Toyota has said
that Ms. Hamp has legal representation. The identity of her lawyer
wasn't clear as of Wednesday.
Ms. Hamp was Toyota's chief communication officer until she
resigned June 30. She had been in custody since her arrest on June
18. Police said customs officers intercepted a package for Ms. Hamp
that contained about 60 tablets of oxycodone.
Oxycodone is a legal prescription painkiller in both the U.S.
and Japan. But bringing oxycodone into Japan without advance
government permission is illegal.
Ms. Hamp's arrest came as Toyota President Akio Toyoda was
pushing to diversify the auto maker's executive ranks and bring in
more non-Japanese. She was among three non-Japanese executives who
received promotions at Toyota earlier this year and was the
highest-ranking woman at the company.
Alexander Martin contributed to this article.
Write to Yoko Kubota at yoko.kubota@wsj.com
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