Japan says Chinese embassy break-in ‘regrettable’
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A member of the Japanese military broke into the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, prompting China to lodge a protest.
PHOTO: AFP
TOKYO - Japan said on March 25 it was “regrettable” that a member of the Japanese military broke into the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, after Beijing expressed shock over the incident.
The break-in on the morning of March 24 has further soured ties between Beijing and Tokyo that have suffered since comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about the democratic, self-ruled island of Taiwan.
Japanese police arrested 23-year-old Kodai Murata on suspicion of trespassing after he broke into the heavily guarded embassy grounds around 9am (8am Singapore time), a police spokesperson told AFP.
The suspect told investigators he was “hoping to meet the ambassador to tell him to refrain from making hardline remarks, and if that request was rejected, I wanted to surprise him by killing myself,” the Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing unnamed sources.
Japan’s national broadcaster NHK said a knife was later found at the scene. Japan’s top government spokesman Minoru Kihara confirmed that the suspect was a member of the military.
“It is truly regrettable that a Self-Defence Forces member, who is expected to comply with the law, has been arrested on suspicion” of entering the embassy premises, Mr Kihara told reporters. “Police are already conducting an investigation to clarify what happened and have implemented necessary measures to strengthen security” of the embassy, he added.
Beijing, which lodged a formal protest against the incident, called for the perpetrator to be severely punished. China’s foreign ministry on March 25 accused Japan of failing in its duties to protect diplomatic staff.
“The incident has seriously threatened the safety of embassy personnel, disrupted the peace and tranquillity of the embassy, and undermined the dignity of the embassy,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular press conference, adding that “The Japanese side has failed... to uphold its special responsibility to protect the inviolability of the embassy and diplomatic representatives.”
Ties between Japan and China have deteriorated since Ms Takaichi suggested in November that Japan might intervene militarily in any Chinese attempt to take Taiwan. China, which regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out force to annex it, was furious over the comments. AFP
