Japan’s top diplomat asked China to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens in the nation after the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy, and demanded a crackdown on what she called “groundless, malicious and anti-Japanese” social media posts that threaten children’s safety.
Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa requested that Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) conduct a full investigation into the stabbing and provide a clear explanation to Japan about what happened, and to punish the suspect and implement preventive measures.
Kamikawa said Beijing should take concrete steps to ensure the safety of Japanese, especially children, in China, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Photo: Reuters
The two ministers met in New York on Monday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting.
The 10-year-old boy was stabbed on Wednesday last week near the gate of the Shenzhen Japanese School. The attacker, identified as a 44-year-old man, was arrested on the spot and is being investigated, Chinese officials said.
Kamikawa has said the attack occurred despite Tokyo’s request to Beijing for increased security for Japanese citizens and around Japanese schools ahead of Wednesday last week’s anniversary of the Mukden Incident in 1931, which China marks as the beginning of the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, now northeast China.
Kamikawa also told Wang that “groundless, malicious and anti-Japanese social media postings and others, including those targeting Japanese schools, directly affect the safety of children and are absolutely unacceptable,” demanding China implement a thorough crackdown as soon as possible.
Wang said the stabbing was an “accidental, individual case” and that China would handle the case under the law.
Safety concerns are rising among the Japanese business community in China.
Japanese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoshifumi Tsuge was in Beijing on Monday for talks with Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong (孫衛東) and conveyed a similar message.
Tsuge then met with representatives of the Japanese business community to hear their thoughts on safely operating in China.
Tsuge said Japan is spending ￥43 million (US$297,855) to urgently beef up security around Japanese schools and their bus stops during commuting hours, and plans to seek additional budget to put security guards on Japanese school buses.
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