A Japanese woman appeared in a Sepang court today on charges of trafficking 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamines which will see her executed if convicted.

Mariko Takeuchi, 35, was dressed in an orange prison outfit and appeared tired and nervous during the appearance at the Sepang sessions court.

"We have received the chemist report. It said she was carrying 3.493 grams of methamphetamines. She faces the mandatory death sentence if convicted," her lawyer S Prakasah told reporters outside the sessions court.

The lab results reduced the amount of drugs in question from an earlier allegation of 4.7 kilograms of methamphetamines.

Judge Zulhelmy Hasan agreed to a prosecution request to transfer the case from the Sepang sessions court to the High Court, which is empowered to deal with capital cases.

Caught in KLIA

Prakash said Takeuchi will enter a formal plea in the higher court but no date has yet been fixed for the start of the trial.

Takeuchi was detained at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Oct 30. The drugs were allegedly found in a special compartment in her luggage after she arrived from Dubai.

Her lawyers have previously said that she denies the allegations and will fight the charge in court.

After the hearing Takeuchi was taken away by police in handcuffs to a nearby women's prison.

The death penalty is carried out by hanging in Malaysia.