Japanese child's fatal stabbing in China is an 'isolated case', Beijing says
The fatal stabbing of a Japanese child in southern China is "an isolated case", Beijing's foreign ministry said on Thursday as it vowed to "continue to take necessary measures" to ensure the safety of "all foreigners in China".
Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing expressed condolences to the victim's family and would "provide all necessary help" to them.
A 10-year-old Japanese child in Shenzhen - which has the fifth-biggest Japanese community in China - was confirmed dead on Thursday after being stabbed on the way to school a day earlier.
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The spokesman confirmed that the victim was a Japanese national whose father is Japanese and mother Chinese. Lin said Beijing would closely communicate with Tokyo in its investigation of the case.
Police in China have not specified the child's sex but Japanese news agency Kyodo reported earlier that the victim was a primary school boy.
A 44-year-old male suspect - whom Shenzhen police identified only by the family name Zhong - is in custody.
On Thursday afternoon, the name plate of the Japanese school in Nanshan district was covered by a curtain. Couriers delivered flowers, which were laid in a box before being taken inside.
"May your soul find eternal peace," the note on a bouquet read, while another started with words popular during the pandemic: "Though miles apart, we are under the same sky."
The phrase appeared on Covid-19 medical aid sent to China from Japan and was later quoted frequently by netizens to praise friendship between the two peoples during a difficult time.
Anxiety is growing among the Japanese community in China as more attacks appear to target Japanese, and, according to Kyodo, ensuring the safety of Japanese nationals in China is likely to become the most important issue between the two countries.
Security guards put up a curtain to cover the name of the Nanshan district school, as well as placing a box for mourners to put flowers in. They allowed the media take photos before taking the flowers away. Photo: Phoebe Zhang alt=Security guards put up a curtain to cover the name of the Nanshan district school, as well as placing a box for mourners to put flowers in. They allowed the media take photos before taking the flowers away. Photo: Phoebe Zhang>
Just two months before this week's attack, a Japanese mother and her small child were hurt by a man armed with a knife in Suzhou, Jiangsu province. Hou Youping, a Chinese bus attendant, was killed when she tried to stop the attacker.
The incident in Shenzhen on Wednesday occurred on the anniversary of the 918 Incident - also known as the Manchurian Incident - the beginning of Japan's invasion of China in 1931 and seen as a symbolic date of national humiliation.
In keeping with an annual ritual, several cities, including Shenzhen, sounded sirens on Wednesday to commemorate the event and remind citizens of the date.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said it was "extremely regrettable" that the child died despite requests for caution and improved safety around the anniversary.
The Japanese embassy in Beijing had warned citizens to be vigilant and take precautions, citing recent knife attacks.
The embassy posted to its Weibo account on Thursday morning that it was "deeply saddened" by the incident and had offered its condolences and flown the embassy flag at half mast.
"We consider the situation to be serious and hope the Chinese government will do its best to protect Japanese expatriates in China, find out the truth about the incident, and prevent similar attacks from happening again," the embassy said.
Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa speaks to journalists in Tokyo on Thursday about the stabbing death of a Japanese child in China. Photo: Kyodo alt=Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa speaks to journalists in Tokyo on Thursday about the stabbing death of a Japanese child in China. Photo: Kyodo>
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida offered "heartfelt condolences" in a post on X on Thursday just hours after the child died, urging China to further investigate the incident and protect Japanese people in China.
Kishida said the death was "an extremely despicable crime" and that Tokyo "views it as a serious and grave matter".
"For now, we will first strongly urge the Chinese side to explain the facts. Given that more than a day has already passed since the crime was committed, I have instructed them to strongly request an explanation as soon as possible," he wrote.
"Such an incident must never be repeated. We will continue to strongly urge the Chinese side to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens and prevent a recurrence."
The Japanese consulate in Guangzhou, which covers Shenzhen, called for measures to prevent such incidents.
Yoshiko Kijima, the Japanese consul general in Guangzhou, said the consulate would do its utmost to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals.
"I want to respond by putting the care of [the child's] family first," Kyodo quoted her as saying.
Kijima had met the head of the Shenzhen Foreign Affairs Office on Wednesday night and asked for the best medical care to save the child, and also called for specific measures to prevent similar incidents from happening, it said.
The consul general asked that the truth behind the attack and a thorough explanation be provided to the Japanese side, according to the report.
A floral tribute to a child fatally stabbed in Shenzhen is left outside a school in Nanshan district on Thursday. "Though separated by mountains and rivers, we share one moon under the same sky," the card says. Photo: Phoebe Zhang alt=A floral tribute to a child fatally stabbed in Shenzhen is left outside a school in Nanshan district on Thursday. "Though separated by mountains and rivers, we share one moon under the same sky," the card says. Photo: Phoebe Zhang>
The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China "strongly urged" Beijing and Tokyo to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in China as well as make sure the results of China's investigation are disclosed in a timely manner.
Among incidents concerning foreign nationals in China this year, four instructors from an Iowan college were stabbed by a 55-year-old man in a park in the northeastern province of Jilin in June.
No follow-up police reports have been publicly released about the motives of the attacker in either the Jilin incident or the mother and child attacked in Suzhou and there has been no official information about any punishment the perpetrators may have received.
According to Japan's education ministry, there are 12 Japanese schools across 10 cities in mainland China, including one in Beijing and two in Shanghai. There are also two schools in Hong Kong.
The schools are approved by Chinese authorities to provide education for the children of Japanese citizens stationed in the country, including businesspeople and diplomats.
Many Japanese companies, including Toyota, have operations in Shenzhen. The city, known for its thriving tech industry, has about 3,600 Japanese residents, according to Japan's foreign ministry.
The number of Japanese nationals living in China reached a two-decade low in 2022 as relations between the two nations faced multiple headwinds, from historic hostility to current geopolitics.
The number of Japanese residents in China peaked in 2012, with the biggest drop in 2013 because of a nationwide anti-Japanese protest in China over the Diaoyu Islands, which are known in Japan as the Senkaku Islands.
Since then, the number of Japanese in China has continued to shrink, with decreasing Japanese investment.
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