Latest news with #KenjiKanasugi
13 hours ago
- Politics
Astellas Employee Intends Not to Appeal Conviction in China
News from Japan World Jul 19, 2025 18:32 (JST) Beijing, July 19 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma Inc. in his 60s, who was sentenced to three years and six months in prison for espionage in China on Wednesday, has no intention to appeal the ruling for now, informed sources said Saturday. As China uses a two-tier court system, those who are dissatisfied with the first ruling can appeal to a higher court. In the Astellas employee's case, his sentence will be finalized if he does not file an appeal by the deadline in late July. A Beijing district court that imposed the prison sentence on the employee is believed to have found him guilty of espionage for providing information about Chinese politics and the economy to an intelligence agency. Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi and other Japanese Embassy officials were allowed to observe Wednesday's sentencing session. Kanasugi said that the sentence was "extremely regrettable," but he did not provide details of the ruling presented in court. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
China jails Japanese national for espionage, says embassy
Japanese ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi speaks during a news conference in Beijing. (Kyodo News/AP pic) BEIJING : A court in China sentenced a Japanese businessman to three-and-a-half years in prison on Wednesday for spying, Tokyo's ambassador in Beijing said. The man, an employee of the Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas, was detained in March 2023 and placed under formal arrest in October. He was 'sentenced to three years and six months in prison for espionage activities', Kenji Kanasugi, Japanese ambassador to China, told Japanese media after the trial in Beijing. 'It is extremely regrettable that such a guilty verdict was issued,' he said. A foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing said China's judicial organs 'handle cases in strict accordance with the law'. 'As long as foreign personnel in China and coming to China abide by the law… there is nothing to be worried or anxious about,' spokesman Lin Jian told a regular news conference when asked about the Japanese businessman's case. Five Japanese nationals, including the Astellas official, are in custody or serving prison terms in China, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK. Tokyo has repeatedly called on Beijing to release them, and Wednesday's sentence deals a blow to ties, long frayed over territorial disputes, Japan's colonial history and other flashpoints. 'In light of the sentence, we have once again strongly urged the Chinese side for the early release of the Japanese national concerned in this case as well as others detained,' Tokyo's embassy in Beijing said in a statement. It also urged China 'to ensure their legitimate rights and humane treatment during detention and to improve the transparency of the judicial process'. Beijing's foreign ministry said it would provide Japan the ability to 'perform consular duties'. The detained man had reportedly worked in China for two decades and was previously a senior executive at a major Japanese business lobby in the country. He was planning to return home before his sudden detention, according to Japan's Kyodo News Agency.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Japanese traveller anxiety soars amid China's espionage arrests
The arrest and prosecution of Japanese citizens in China is fuelling public anxiety and deterring travel, Japan 's government has warned, as academics and businesspeople said they were either taking precautions or avoiding visits altogether. Tokyo expressed its concern about deteriorating relations on Wednesday after a court in Beijing sentenced a Japanese employee of pharmaceuticals manufacturer Astellas Pharma to three years and six months in prison for espionage. The man, who has not been named but is reported to be in his sixties, was initially detained in March 2023 as he prepared to leave China after working in the country. He was indicted last August , and the first hearing in his case took place three months later. The sentencing hearing on Wednesday was not open to the press, but officials from the Japanese embassy in Beijing were permitted to attend, Jiji Press reported. 'It is extremely regrettable that a guilty ruling was issued,' Japanese ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi told reporters after the hearing. 'We will continue to call strongly for his early release while supporting him as much as we can.' Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi (centre) speaks to reporters in Beijing on Wednesday after a court jailed a Japanese man for spying. Photo: Kyodo Speaking later in the day in Tokyo, a foreign ministry spokesman said the arrest of Japanese nationals 'has become one of the major obstructive factors for people-to-people exchanges … and improvements in public sentiment', as quoted on Jiji Press.
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Prison Sentence for Japanese Employee: Visiting China with Peace of Mind Impossible under Its Judicial System
China cannot be called a nation governed by the rule of law, considering that, throughout the legal proceedings, it was never sufficiently specified what kind of conduct allegedly violated the law. China needs to change its opaque judicial system. The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court, a district court, has sentenced a Japanese man — an employee of Astellas Pharma Inc. — who was indicted on suspicion of espionage, to 3½ years in prison. The trial was closed to the public, but Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi and others were allowed to attend the session at which the ruling was handed down. According to the ambassador, the court explained the alleged espionage activities to some extent. But he said, 'It was not something that could be considered transparent.' When the extremely grave judicial decision of a prison sentence is to be handed down, it would make sense to show the content of the judgment. It is obvious that China's judicial procedures deviate greatly from the norms of the international community. China enforced a counterespionage law in 2014 to intensify its surveillance of foreigners. A total of at least 17 Japanese nationals have been detained on suspicion of espionage and other charges. Five of them, including the man who received a prison sentence this time, have not been released. It is extremely regrettable that the Chinese side has not complied with the Japanese government's repeated requests for the early release of the Japanese nationals, including this man. The counterespionage law was amended in 2023. In addition to 'state secrets,' the theft or provision of 'documents and data relating to national security and interests,' among others, were included as acts of espionage. There is concern that this will lead to more arbitrary application of the law by Chinese authorities. Meanwhile, China has shown a willingness to improve relations with Japan. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Communist Party's Political Bureau, stated at a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in Malaysia this month: 'Bilateral relations have shown a momentum of improvement and development. This situation deserves to be cherished.' At the end of June, China lifted the ban on imports of Japanese marine products that it had imposed following the release of treated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. It also validated an animal health and quarantine agreement between Japan and China to resume imports of Japanese beef, which have been suspended since 2001. China may be aiming to create distance between Japan and the United States by improving relations with Japan in preparation for an intensified confrontation with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. In Japan, however, concerns that Japanese nationals might be detained in China have spread, mainly among the business community and academic circles, leading to moves to suspend or cancel visits to China or residences in the country. If the safety of Japanese nationals is not ensured, the flow of people traveling between Japan and China will not progress, and building a stable relationship will become difficult. China should be aware of this. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 17, 2025)
The Mainichi
3 days ago
- Business
- The Mainichi
Editorial: China's murky sentencing of Japanese man on spy charge stifles business activity
A Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma Inc. who was detained in Beijing and charged with spying has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. Opaque law enforcement in which people are indicted and sentenced without an adequate explanation of what specific actions violated the law will only stifle business activity. The employee, an executive of the local subsidiary of a Japanese pharmaceutical company, had resided in China for a total of around 20 years, and had served as vice chairman of the Japanese Chamber Commerce and Industry in China, comprising Japanese companies. He was detained just before he was due to return to Japan in March 2023, and was charged in August last year. The Chinese government merely stated, "There are suspicions he engaged in espionage activities," but did not provide any specific details. Its actions disregarded his human rights and this cannot be overlooked. Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi, who attended the sentencing, stated, "The guilty verdict was extremely regrettable," and indicated continued support for the man's early release. The Japanese government must continue to persistently urge China to respond. The leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping has prioritized "national security" policies. After its anti-espionage law, which prohibits the theft of state secrets, came into force in 2014, surveillance of foreigners increased, and since the following year, at least 17 Japanese nationals have been detained on espionage and other allegations. In Shanghai in May this year, a Japanese man was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment, and at least five Japanese nationals remain unable to return to Japan. China has been hit with a real estate downturn and deflationary pressures, and the impact of the high tariffs imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump remains uncertain. In an effort to lift its economy, China has started strengthening relations with its neighbors. Since last autumn, China has shown a willingness to improve relations with Japan, and resumed visa waivers for Japanese nationals for short-term stays. However, many Japanese businesspeople and researchers are avoiding visiting China due to fears of detention. When conducting business activities, it is necessary to gather information on legislation and administration. The current circumstances, where Beijing's definition of espionage is vague and where concerns remain about Chinese authorities applying the law arbitrarily, will make foreign companies think twice about investing in China. Crackdowns on businesspeople from the United States, Britain and South Korea have also been reported. If the judiciary lacks transparency, it is impossible to advance business with peace of mind. The Xi administration should recognize that strengthening social control could lead to "China distancing," resulting in a decline in its national power.
