A Japanese citizen who was arrested in China earlier this month has been charged with espionage, according to a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning.
The individual worked at Astellas Pharma, a Japanese company, and is suspected of engaging in espionage activities, violating the criminal law and the anti-espionage law of China. The Japanese embassy in China has been notified.
Mao urged Japan to instruct its citizens not to engage in such activities. The Chinese media has not identified the employee, and the reason for the detention remains unclear.
The spokesperson stressed that companies and individuals must respect and abide by the law. China will handle the case in accordance with the law, and protect the rights of the individual.
The Japanese government has been strongly urging China to release the individual since it learned about the case. No details on the individual’s identity or alleged crime have been released by the government.
According to Japanese media, over a dozen Japanese nationals have been arrested in China since 2015, of whom eight have returned, while seven are either facing trial or serving jail time in China.
One individual had died during their detention, according to Japan’s Mainichi newspaper. Five of the arrested Japanese nationals have been found guilty by China of endangering national security.
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