A senior Japanese official has called on China to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in the country following a fatal knife attack on a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. Yoshifumi Tsuge, Japan’s state minister for foreign affairs, met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in Beijing and urged the Chinese side to investigate the incident and determine the motive of the suspect as soon as possible. Tsuge also called for action against groundless and malicious anti-Japanese posts on Chinese social media to prevent similar incidents from happening again. He emphasized the need for cooperation between Japan and China to ensure safety at Japanese schools in China, including exchanging information and implementing measures during children’s commutes.
Sun expressed regret and grief over the incident, promising necessary support for the boy’s family and efforts to ensure safety for Japanese and other foreign nationals in China. However, he refrained from discussing the suspect’s motive, referring to it as an accidental incident.
Tsuge stated that determining the motive is crucial for preventing future incidents. The 10-year-old boy was attacked by a knife-wielding man while on his way to school last Wednesday. Despite being treated at a hospital, he passed away early Thursday morning. The suspect was apprehended by local police shortly after committing the crime.
Regarding anti-Japanese social media posts, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that no anti-Japanese education is provided in China.
During a meeting with representatives of Japanese expatriates, including officials from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, Tsuge assured them that everything possible would be done to prioritize safeguarding children.
Tetsuro Honma, head of the chamber, expressed concerns raised by employees of Japanese companies in China regarding safety issues concerning their families’ well-being.
