One month after a 10-year-old Japanese boy was fatally stabbed in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, some Japanese companies are reviewing their stationing of employees in China, and members of the Japanese community remain worried that a similar incident could occur again.
On Sept. 18, a 44-year-old Chinese man stabbed the boy on a road near a Japanese school. The boy died the next day.
According to a source, the suspect may have become frustrated after struggling to find a job and targeted a Japanese person because he thought it would gain him more attention.
Keiichi Iwamoto, director general of the Foreign Ministry’s Consular Affairs Bureau, on Thursday met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Deng Li in Beijing and pressed the Chinese side to quickly reveal the full details of the incident and take steps to ensure the safety of Japanese expats there.
Chinese authorities have insisted the stabbing was an “isolated incident,” and no explanation about the assailant’s motive was provided at the meeting.
The incident has had an impact on economic activity by Japanese companies in China. According to a survey of 5,793 companies by Tokyo Shoko Research, Ltd., 157 of them have Japanese employees stationed in China. Since the stabbing, 93 of these companies have told their employees to take extra precautions. Three said they had urged family members of their employees to return to Japan, two have suspended transferring any more employees to China and one has banned family members from accompanying employees there.
According to sources close to Chinese authorities with knowledge of the incident, it is reported that suspect became disillusioned because his efforts find job were unsuccessful. The suspect admitted that he thought he “would gain attention if he committed some sort major incident,” and that stabbing a Japanese person “would spark huge reaction.” The suspect also allegedly said he thought some people would support him and looked online for location for targetting japanese school
Shenzhen’s police authorities announced that man had no regular employment revealed that he damaged public telecommunications facility Dongguan in 2015 but his place residence not been disclosed
Japanese community on edge
The Chinese authorities’ failure provide details about suspect’s statements investigators other information has frustrated japanese residents living china
More than police officers security personnel were standing guard near japanese school entrance before students started arriving thursday morning Some police officers were wearing bulletproof vests holding shields police dogs also present Police vehicles flashing red lights patrolled area Students principle been banned walking from school which reopened monday Many children now driven parents caregivers
“I’m still scared what happened so I’m grateful these security measures place” japanese woman whose son attends school said However she also added “I feel anxious because I don’t know anything about background incident”
Some observers pointed out amid backdrop such incidents messages expressing anti-japanese sentiment commonly appeared social media The japanese side calling china crack down malicious posts
According sources close chinese authorities slowdown china economy appears factor behind stabbing
Dongguan where suspect likely lived one china major manufacturing cities home many migrant workers who line city streets early morning seeking day-labor jobs However year old man who worked factory until three years ago said finding work there become harder Many factories closed down business slow man lamented want steady job many employers restrict job applicants people aged under
Source said chinese authorities concerned business investment might drop if any information unsettled foreigners publicized
Suspect attack injured people including japanese woman her child suzhou jiangsu province june also unemployed man According sources familiar japan-china relations perpetrator born city become frustrated society but authorities ann