A Japanese woman will be charged in court on tomorrow with drug trafficking, and faces the death penalty if found guilty, according to her lawyer.

"She will be charged in the Sepang Magistrate's Court tomorrow under the Dangerous Drugs Act," lawyer Gobind Singh said today, adding that there will be a Japanese interpreter present in court during the proceedings.

The lawyer said no plea was recorded from the 30-year-old woman when she appeared in court earlier this month as there was no interpreter.

The woman is being kept in a police lock-up.

The Japanese national was detained at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Oct 30 over possession of 4.7kg of methamphetamines, known as "syabu" in the region.

The drug, with a street value of RM1.2 million, was allegedly found in a special compartment in her luggage after she arrived from Dubai. Drug addiction is a major social ill in Malaysia.

Custom officials said it was the first time the authorities had arrested a Japanese national for a drug offence.

The woman faces a mandatory death penalty, which is carried out by hanging in Malaysia, if convicted.

- AFP