Japan Accidentally Sold Ship Loaded With Navigational Data to North Korea

Whoops

The Japanese government's data protection policies have been called into question after it emerged that a decommissioned coast guard vessel was sold to a pro-North Korea organisation without any checks as to whether key data on board was first deleted.

The 106-ton Japan Coast Guard patrol boat Takachiho was taken out of service in 2011 and sold to a ship breaker run by a senior figure from the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), according to the Yomiuri Shimbun.

Chongryon, whose senior officials include members of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, carries out many of the functions a NORKS embassy would have in Japan, as there are no formal diplomatic relations between the two countries.