A ten-year-old Japanese pupil who was stabbed close to his college in southern China has died, officers in Tokyo mentioned Thursday, asking Beijing to supply particulars of the stabbing and take preventive measures. A suspect is in custody.
Japanese International Minister Kamikawa Yoko expressed condolences and famous that the assault occurred regardless of Tokyo’s requests for warning and enhanced security as China marks a key anniversary of its struggle with Japan.
The scholar was stabbed on Wednesday about 200 meters (220 yards) from the gate of the Shenzhen Japanese Faculty, Chinese language Ministry of International Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian mentioned in a each day briefing. Lin mentioned the attacker was arrested on the spot and the case was nonetheless underneath investigation.
In a press release launched Wednesday, Shenzhen police mentioned a 44-year-old man with the surname Zhong had been taken into custody in reference to a knifing on a minor.
No motive for the assault was instantly clear.
Kamikawa famous that Japan had requested China’s Ministry of International Affairs for elevated safety round Japanese colleges forward of the September 18 anniversary of the Mukden Incident in 1931, which China marks as the start of the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, now northeast China.
An explosion on a Japanese railway within the northern metropolis of Shenyang brought on by Japanese troopers however blamed on the Chinese language was used as a pretext for the invasion.
“I discover it extraordinarily regrettable that the assault occurred regardless of that,” Kamikawa mentioned, including that such an assault “ought to by no means happen in any nation.” Japan takes the assault “extraordinarily severely” and can renew its request to Beijing to do extra to make sure security of the Japanese residents, she added.
Kamikawa mentioned she had additionally suggested Japanese colleges in China to evaluate their security measures, and requested Beijing to supply particulars of the killing and do its utmost to forestall related assaults on Japanese residents.
Following an earlier knife assault at a bus cease for a Japanese college, Japan’s International Ministry has urged Japanese college operators in China to evaluate their security measures, mentioned Mizobuchi Masashi, the ministry’s assistant press secretary, and officers will focus on how they’ll higher safe the security of Japanese college students.
On June 24, a knife assault at a faculty bus cease for a Japanese college within the southeastern metropolis of Suzhou killed a Chinese language nationwide who was making an attempt to cease the attacker and injured a Japanese mom and her little one.
Lin denied any hyperlink between the 2 incidents, saying “related circumstances might occur in any nation” and denied the assaults will hurt China’s relations with Japan.
“China and Japan are in communication on the case. We at all times welcome folks from all nations, together with Japan, to return to China for touring, finding out, enterprise or residing,” Lin mentioned, pledging to take efficient measures to guard their security whereas in China.
“We consider particular person circumstances is not going to have an effect on the exchanges and cooperation between China and Japan,” he mentioned.
Lin on Thursday expressed condolences and unhappiness over the boy’s loss of life. “Our hearts exit to his household,” he mentioned, including that China will present essential help. He recognized the boy as a Japanese citizen with mother and father from Japan and China.
Whereas the information of the boy’s loss of life was not on reported in Chinese language media Thursday, folks posted condolences on the social media platform Weibo and condemned the assault.
In an e mail despatched to Japanese residents residing in China, the Japanese Embassy warned residents to be vigilant and take precautions, citing knife assaults in current months. The Japanese Consulate in Guangzhou, which is liable for Shenzhen, known as for measures to forestall such incidents.
Earlier in June, a Chinese language man stabbed 4 U.S. college instructors at a public park in Jilin within the northeast and a Chinese language one that tried to intervene. The 4 instructors from Cornell School had been educating at Beihua College. Their accidents weren’t essential.
