28th December 2024 – (Tokyo) Takeshi Iwaya, Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, confirmed on Friday that suspects involved in two violent incidents targeting Japanese nationals in China have been formally charged. In the case from September, where a Japanese boy was fatally stabbed in Shenzhen, Chinese authorities have charged the suspect with murder. Additionally, the individual implicated in the June attack on a Japanese mother and child in Suzhou has also been charged.
Iwaya noted that the Chinese government indicated more details regarding these cases would emerge as the judicial processes unfold. He emphasised Japan’s commitment to maintaining close communication with Chinese officials during this period.
In the Shenzhen incident, police described the attack as an isolated case, asserting that the assailant acted alone. The suspect, a 44-year-old man surnamed Zhong, has a history of criminal activity and reportedly lacked stable employment. In previous encounters with law enforcement, he had faced administrative detention for actions disrupting public order.
The Suzhou attack, which resulted in the tragic death of a Chinese woman who intervened to protect a Japanese family, involved a 52-year-old suspect surnamed Zhou, who was also unemployed.
