Bought antique dealer didn’t ship

I bought an antique bronze cow or ox online from dealer Wataru Takamura, 3-28-16-202, Higashiyamada, Tsuzuko Yokohama, Kanagawa 224-0023, Japan. He accepted payment including EMS shipping, but never sent item. Repeated requests for shipping or package tracking info went unanswered, as did requests to send the item or a full refund. I live in the US and can't go to his shop to ask him in person. What can I do?

How did you pay? If you used a credit card or paypal then you have some recourse. Contact your credit card company to dispute the charge or file a Item Not Received dispute with Paypal.

If you payed by other means then you may be out of luck.

Did you make the purchase through ebay or yahoo! or any such site? Otherwise, it will be difficult to track down and get anything back from any fraudsters - you have his website link?

btw, what is the website of this dealer? Also, when contacting them did you send your email in Japanese or English? Often in my experience, the emails I sent in English will get ignored while a followup email in Japanese will be promptly answered.

Wataru Takamura initially answered emails, but only until I sent payment by US Postal International Money Order. Then kept insisting item would arrive soon, without tracking numbers/shipping info. More fool I: don't think he'll ever answer another email from me, in any language. Shikataganai?

Unfortunately, shikataganai.

If you don't receive the items then technically its mail fraud, but I doubt its worth pursuing. There probably aren't legal means to force a refund either.

Maybe some nice person on this forum near his shop can go in and say they are your friend and see if that will get any results. E-mail the info to them first. Have them contact the police for you if nothing is done.
I had a similar problem and it worked.

Excellent suggestion, guest! I have all the e-invoice copies in files, with all transaction info. I tried contacting local Kanagawa police station, but they told me I should have my local, US police station try on my behalf. Good luck that happening, but for $300 in lost transaction, I'd be willing to email the info to anyone over in his neighborhood who could file police report in person. Has nuisance value at any rate....

Do you have his telephone number?

would you mind posting the web address?

If you have his website "shop" URL, that would help. I would not want to start inundating his e-mail account with mail claiming he screwed my friend lol, but if you have his shop URL, I would be happy to check it to see if he has all the necessary registration done as an antique dealer and provides information required of all mail-order companies.

He was on ebay, so I have only his email, not a business website. He got thrown off ebay for refusing to answer buyer complaint claim. Which is odd, because he had a perfect feedback record for previous transactions. Now they can't help, and he won't answer my emails. The only thing I may have left is Japanese language emails to him (I don't speak more than a few words) or to have someone go to his address and see if there's an actual shop or not. I think he does have a business.