Japan Urges China to Release Expats after Spy Conviction
Tokyo, July 17 (Jiji Press)--Japan expressed disappointment Thursday after a Chinese court convicted a Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma Inc. of espionage, and called for the swift release of the employee, as well as other Japanese expatriates being held in China on similar charges.
The guilty ruling, issued Wednesday, was "extremely regrettable," Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said in a press conference the same day.
"China's detention of Japanese citizens is among the largest obstacles to exchanges and the improvement of mutual sentiment between the two countries," Aoki said, adding that the government would do everything possible to support the Astellas employee, who was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.
Tokyo also urged greater transparency in China's judicial process.
(2025/07/17-18:53)
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