Sentencing of Japan ‘Spy' Shows China's Line on National Security; Lack of Transparency May Set Back Japan-China Ties
The man, an employee of drugmaker Astellas Pharma Inc., had been detained by Chinese authorities since March 2023. Japan's government plans to once again press the Chinese side to quickly release Japanese nationals still being detained there. However, concerns over the lack of transparency from Chinese authorities in cases of law enforcement where 'national security' is used a pretext to detain people will continue to smolder.
According to the Japanese Embassy in China, the man appeared to listen calmly to the Japanese interpretation of the ruling read out in Chinese by the presiding judge. Only embassy officials were in attendance at the proceedings; Japanese media outlets were unable to enter the courtroom. Men who appeared to be connected to the Chinese authorities stood around the courthouse and blocked attempts to report on the proceedings.
The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping has fostered attempts to improve ties with Japan as Beijing's relations with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump have grown increasingly adversarial. China has even recently taken steps to resolve issues that had plagued bilateral ties with Japan, such as accelerating procedures for resuming imports of Japanese marine products and beef.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry had notified the Japanese side in advance that Wednesday's ruling 'would not be as harsh' as sentences handed down in previous cases, some of which had exceeded 10 years of imprisonment, according to sources familiar with Japan-China ties.
Patriotism is expected to be on the rise in China as the nation nears a period that includes Aug. 15, which marks the anniversary of the end of **World War II**, and also Sept. 3, which China celebrates as the anniversary of its victory over Japan. The latest ruling was very likely timed to draw a line under a key contentious problem in Japan-China relations before this period.
Amid all this, the Xi administration has continued to ramp up its hegemonistic behavior in the region, such as by having China Coast Guard vessels regularly intrude into Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture and by dispatching two aircraft carriers to conduct exercises simultaneously in the Pacific Ocean. It is unlikely that Xi's administration will offer any concessions on issues that it considers to be non-negotiable, such as national security and the nation's territory.
Calls for release unanswered
The Japanese government has expressed serious concerns about China's detention of Japanese nationals. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya even described this issue as 'one of the biggest factors impeding people-to-people exchanges and the improvement of national sentiment' between Japan and China. The government has repeatedly pressed the Chinese side to quickly release Japanese nationals it has detained, but the day of the Astellas employee's sentencing arrived without any progress being made.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba touched on the ruling Wednesday. 'We must ensure the world is orderly,' Ishiba said during a speech in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture. 'We want to create a more transparent, well-structured order.' That comment was apparently made with the lack of transparency in China's judicial process in mind.
China is currently detaining five Japanese nationals, including the Astellas employee. They are being held in locations including Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province; Sanya, Hainan Province; and Changsha, Hunan Province. Chinese authorities have not revealed details about the reasons for and circumstances behind these detentions have not been disclosed.
The Japanese government believes it is highly likely that the Chinese side will continue to crack down on what it considers to be 'espionage' activities and to strictly apply its anti-spying law. 'The only thing we can do is have the prime minister directly reach out to President Xi and lean on him to resolve the issue,' a government official told The Yomiuri Shimbun.
The latest ruling will inevitably have an impact on economic and people-to-people exchanges between Tokyo and Beijing. The Japanese government is poised to bolster efforts to secure the release of Japanese detainees and strengthen messages urging travelers to China to exercise caution.
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The Diplomat
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- The Diplomat
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Japan Today
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