Chinese court sentences a Japanese man to more than 3 years in prison on espionage charges
The embassy did not identify the man, who has been detained since March 2023. Japan's Kyodo News Agency described him as a man in his 60s and an employee of Astellas Pharma Inc., a major Japanese pharmaceutical company.
The man was charged with espionage in August and his first hearing was held in November but no details were released.
The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court did not immediately make an announcement after handing down the sentence.
Kenji Kanasugi, the Japanese ambassador to China, called the sentencing 'extremely regrettable.' The Japanese government has protested a series of detentions of its citizens in China.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that judicial authorities had handled the case in strict accordance with the law and that China provides a sound environment for Japanese companies and workers.
'As long as foreign nationals in China abide by the law and engage in lawful employment, there is nothing to worry about,' he said.
A total of 17 Japanese citizens with business or other connections to China have been detained since 2014, when China enacted the anti-spying law. Five remain in China, Kyodo reported. A Japanese diplomat was detained for questioning in 2022 and released hours later, prompting strong protests from Japan.
Kanasugi was present at Wednesday's ruling, but Japanese reporters were not allowed inside the courtroom. He told reporters that Japan has demanded and will continue to demand the early release of detained Japanese nationals, adding that such detentions are 'one of the biggest obstacles to improving people-to-people exchanges and public sentiment between Japan and China.'
A statement released by the Japanese embassy in Beijing urged the Chinese government to ensure the humane treatment of detainees and to improve the transparency of the judicial process.
Japan considers China's growing influence in the region as a threat to its national security and economy, and the risks of getting caught in China on espionage allegations are a growing concern in Japan, including its business community. A safety handbook for visitors to China, published by the Japanese embassy in Beijing, urges visitors to use extra caution.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
16 minutes ago
- CNN
Money, sex and a Buddhist monk: Head of China's famed Shaolin Temple under investigation
China's famed Shaolin Temple announced on Sunday that its abbot is under investigation for suspected embezzlement and 'improper relationships' with women, reviving decade-old allegations against the controversial, high-profile monk. Shi Yongxin, known as 'CEO monk' for his entrepreneurial endeavors that transformed the Buddhist monastery into a commercial empire, is suspected of criminal offenses including embezzlement and misappropriation of project funds and temple assets, the temple's authority said in a statement. The 59-year-old monk was also accused of seriously violating Buddhist precepts by maintaining 'improper relationships' with multiple women over an extended period and fathering at least one child, according to the statement. Buddhist monks in China have traditionally been expected to take a vow of celibacy. '(Shi) is currently under joint investigation by multiple departments. Further information will be released to the public in due course,' the statement added. CNN has not been able to contact Shi. Established more than 1,500 years ago in the forested mountains of central China, the Shaolin Temple is both a religious and cultural icon, renowned for its age-old tradition of Zen Buddhism and Shaolin kung fu – a distinct form of Chinese martial arts. Shi, who became the abbot of the Shaolin Temple in 1999 and was a member of China's rubber-stamp parliament for two decades, has frequently appeared in the media spotlight. Known as the first Chinese abbot to hold a Master of Business Administration degree, he was often seen globetrotting with an iPhone in hand, meeting world leaders and industry titans – from the late Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, late South African president Nelson Mandela, and Henry Kissinger to Apple CEO Tim Cook. In February, Shi led a delegation of monks from the Shaolin Temple to the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis. But unflattering headlines have dogged the Buddhist monk for years – including his acceptance of a 1 million yuan ($140,000) car from the local government as a reward for promoting tourism in 2006. Responding to a public outcry at the time, Shi told state media: 'Monks are also citizens. We have fulfilled our duties and made contributions to society, so it is only right that we receive rewards.' His focus on promoting the Shaolin brand and turning it to multimillion-dollar business has attracted fierce criticism, especially from some followers who saw excessive commercialization as corrupting the spiritual integrity of the religious institution. He staged Shaolin kung fu performances around the world, licensed the temple's name out to cartoons, movies and video games, and established a business empire that includes publishing, traditional Chinese medicine, tourist development and real estate. For his part, Shi has defended his efforts to commercialize the Shaolin brand and promote it globally. After writing a $3 million check to an Australian town in 2015 to build a Shaolin branch there, Shi Yongxin told state-run Xinhua news agency: 'If China can import Disney resorts, why can't other countries import the Shaolin Monastery?' 'Cultural promotion is a very dignified undertaking,' he said. Later that year, a self-identified Shaolin insider posted a series of explosive allegations on Chinese social media, depicting Shi as an embezzler and womanizer with illegitimate children. The accuser included documents dating back to the late 1980s purportedly showing Shi being kicked out of Shaolin following theft and other accusations from his own master. Among the documents posted online was a birth certificate for one of the abbot's supposed illegitimate children, as well as photos of the alleged mother and the child. The allegations prompted an angry denial from the Shaolin Temple and an investigation from the country's religious affairs authorities. Asked by BBC Chinese at the time about the allegations, Shi said: 'If there were a problem, it would have surfaced long ago.' The authorities dropped the case in 2017, citing insufficient evidence. Three years later, Shi went on to be re-elected as the deputy head of the Buddhist Association of China – the state supervisory body on the religion – a position he has held since 2002, according to state media. On Monday, the Buddhist Association of China said in a statement that Shi had been stripped of his ordination certificate – an official proof of a monk's or nun's qualification to enter monastic life. 'Shi Yongxin's actions are of an extremely egregious nature, severely tarnishing the reputation of the Buddhist community and damaging the image of monastics,' the association said. 'The Buddhist Association of China firmly supports and endorses the decision to handle Shi Yongxin's case in accordance with the law.' Steven Jiang contributed to this report.
The Hill
30 minutes ago
- The Hill
Cambodian and Thai leaders hold ceasefire talks in Malaysia as border violence enters fifth day
SURIN, Thailand (AP) — Thai and Cambodian leaders are meeting in Malaysia in an urgent effort to resolve deadly border clashes that entered a fifth day despite mounting international calls for peace. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai are scheduled to hold talks Monday afternoon at the official residence of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who is hosting the negotiations as chair of the regional bloc, Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The fighting flared last Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes, that have killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 260,000 people on both sides. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand shut all border crossings with Cambodia, with an exception for migrant Cambodian workers returning home. Troops from both sides reported ongoing fighting Monday along border areas. Gunfire could be heard as dawn broke in Samrong in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, Associated Press reporters covering the conflict said. Anwar said late Sunday that both sides would present their conditions for peace but 'what is important is immediate ceasefire.' 'I hope this can work,' Anwar was quoted as saying by Malaysian national news agency Bernama. 'Although it's not as bad as many other countries, we have to put a stop (to the violence).' The meeting followed direct pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has warned that the United States may not proceed with trade deals with either country if hostilities continue. Before departing for Kuala Lumpur, Phumtham told reporters in Bangkok that the U.S. and China representatives will also attend as observers. He said the key focus would be on an immediate ceasefire, but noted trust could be an issue as Cambodia has not stopped its strikes. 'We have informed that we don't have trust in Cambodia. All they have done reflect that they are not sincere in solving this problem. So they have to show the detail how they will do to prove their sincerity,' he said. The violence marks a rare instance of open military confrontation between ASEAN member states, a 10-nation regional bloc that has prided itself on non-aggression, peaceful dialogue and economic cooperation. In a statement Monday, ASEAN foreign ministers reiterated concern over the rising death toll, destruction of public properties and displacement of a large number of people along the disputed border areas. They urged the two countries to resolve their disputes through negotiations and expressed support for efforts to find a middle ground during Monday's talks. The conflict also drew the attention of Pope Leo XIV. At the Vatican on Sunday, the pontiff said he was praying for all those affected by war in the world, including 'for those affected by the clashes on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, especially the children and displaced families.' At an evacuation shelter in Cambodia's Siem Reap province far away from the border, Ron Mao, 56, prays for a ceasefire deal during the leaders' meeting Monday. She and her family fled their home a kilometer (0.6 mile) away from the front line when fighting broke out Thursday. They took refuge in a shelter but moved again to another camp further away after hearing artillery shelling. 'I don't want to see this war happen. It's very difficult and I don't want to run around like this,' she said, 'When I heard our Prime Minister go to negotiate for peace, I would be very happy if they reached the deal as soon as possible, so that I and my children can return home as soon as possible.' The 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The latest tensions erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics. ________
Boston Globe
30 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
At Trump's urging, Thailand and Cambodia to meet for cease-fire talks
Advertisement Some analysts see this dispute as a test of US and Chinese influence in Southeast Asia, where Washington and Beijing are competing for dominance. Thailand is a US treaty ally and hosts dozens of military exercises with the United States; China is the largest trading partner of Thailand and Cambodia, which hosts a naval base largely funded by Beijing. Instability in the two Southeast Asian nations could jeopardize the strategic and economic interests of the two world powers. On Saturday, Trump said, he called Hun Manet and Phumtham, adding that they had agreed to work out a cease-fire to the conflict, which has killed at least 34 people. On Sunday, the State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken by phone with his counterparts in Thailand and Cambodia, urging them to lower tensions immediately and agree to an end of the conflict. Advertisement But sporadic skirmishes flared between Thai and Cambodian troops along the two countries' disputed border early Sunday, underscoring the challenge of resolving an increasingly bitter and long-running conflict, one of the deadliest ever between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. Analysts said that both countries could also be seeking to grab territory before an agreement was signed. Rubio said he had told Cambodia's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Prak Sokhonn, and Thailand's foreign minister, Maris Sangiampongsa, about Trump's desire for peace. On Saturday, Trump said he would not negotiate trade deals with Cambodia and Thailand until they stopped the fighting. On Sunday, Phumtham said he had told Trump that Thailand had agreed in principle to a cease-fire and had asked Trump to inform Cambodia that talks should take place as soon as possible. He added that he would 'like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side.' But the deputy spokesperson of the Thai army, Colonel Richa Suksuwanont, distinguished between Trump's conversation with the Thai leader and what was happening on the ground. 'The troops in the battlefield are still following battle strategies,' he said in a statement. 'Thailand confirms that the cease-fire will happen only when Cambodia reaches out to us themselves for negotiation.' The conflict flared after two months of tension over contested territory. In the last outbreak of deadly battles between the countries, from 2008 to 2011, 34 people were killed, according to an academic paper. This year, that death toll was reached in less than a week. Hun Manet said he hoped Thailand would not go back on its cease-fire vow. He added that the Thais had violated a similar promise made after Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim negotiated with both sides on Thursday. Malaysia is the chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to which Cambodia and Thailand also belong. Advertisement Thai and Cambodian forces exchanged fire Sunday along the border, near the site of a temple, claimed by both countries, known as Prasat Ta Khwaiq to the Thais and Prasat Ta Krabey to the Cambodians. The deputy Thai army spokesperson, Richa, said the first shots were fired by Cambodia into Thai territory in several areas, including into civilian homes, early Sunday. Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, a spokesperson for the Cambodian Defense Ministry, said Cambodia 'categorically rejects and condemns in the strongest terms the baseless and irresponsible accusation by Thailand that Cambodia initiated hostilities.' She said Thailand's forces started shelling Cambodian territory at 2 a.m. and expanded their operations to Prasat Ta Krabey and near another ancient temple also claimed by both countries, called Prasat Ta Moan Thom by the Cambodians and Prasat Ta Muen Thom by the Thais. The site is where violence first erupted Thursday. At 6 a.m., Thailand sent in tanks and troops to 'invade' in multiple areas, according to Maly Socheata. 'Such actions undermine all efforts toward peaceful resolution and expose Thailand's clear intent to escalate rather than de-escalate the conflict,' Maly Socheata said.
