A Japanese man detained in China whose release Tokyo is demanding is suspected of espionage, the Chinese government said on Monday.
“This Japanese national is suspected of engaging in espionage activities in violation of the People’s Republic of China’s Criminal Code and Anti-espionage Law,” said Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry.
“The Chinese authorities have taken coercive measures” against this person to “carry out an investigation,” she stressed during a regular news conference.
Tokyo earlier Monday called for the release of this Japanese citizen “as soon as possible.”
The Japanese embassy in China was “informed this month that a Japanese man aged 50 to 60 is being held in Beijing for violating Chinese laws,” Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said.
He clarified that Tokyo asked to be able to pay a consular visit to its nationals.
The man is an employee of the Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas, a company spokesman told AFP without giving further details. According to Japanese media, this person has been working in China for two decades.
Japanese news agency Kyodo said the man, a former top official at Japan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, was arrested shortly before his scheduled return to Japan later this month.
“China is a rule of law. Foreigners staying in China must respect Chinese law. Those who break the law and commit crimes and misdemeanors will be prosecuted,” Mao Ning said.
“There have been several similar cases involving Japanese citizens in recent years. Japan should better discipline its citizens and call them to order.”
In October 2019, a Japanese university professor was arrested by Beijing on charges of espionage. He was released the following month.
And in March 2020, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the arrest of a Chinese man accused of espionage, who also worked at a Japanese university, according to Japanese media.