Tokyo demands answers from China after fatal stabbing of Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen
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A woman lays a bouquet of flowers outside Shenzhen Japanese School, following the death of a 10-year-old child who was stabbed by an assailant on the way to the school, in Shenzhen, Guangdong province on Sept 19, 2024.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TOKYO - Japan’s prime minister demanded an explanation from Beijing on Sept 19 about the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen and urged China to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens.
Beijing responded by expressing condolences for the killing, calling it an isolated incident that “could happen in any country”.
While the motivation of the assailant remained unclear, Japanese officials have urged increased security around Japanese schools in China.
Chinese authorities said the victim was 10 years old and was stabbed while he was on the way to school
The suspected 44-year-old assailant was arrested on the spot.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sept 19 demanded an explanation from Beijing about the fatal stabbing.
“For now, we will strongly urge China to provide an explanation about the facts of what happened. Since it’s been more than a day since the incident happened, we expect them to offer an explanation as soon as possible,” he said, calling the attack “extremely despicable”.
“A case like this must not be repeated. We will strongly call on China to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens and prevent a recurrence, while at the same time, doing everything doable in our capacity as the government.”
The victim, enrolled in the Shenzhen Japanese School, died in the early hours of Sept 19, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa told reporters on the same day.
“I take the incident extremely seriously,” Ms Kamikawa said. “This should never happen in any country. Particularly, I sincerely regret that this despicable act was committed against a child on his way to school.”
Japan has asked China to provide a detailed explanation of the facts and to take strong safety measures, she added.
Beijing on Sept 19 expressed “regret and sadness” over the attack.
“China expresses its regret and sadness that this kind of unfortunate incident occurred,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, adding: “We mourn the passing of the boy and express our condolences to his family.”
The boy’s father is a Japanese citizen, while his mother is a Chinese citizen, he said, adding that the attack was an “individual” case.
“China and Japan are in communication on the case,” Mr Lin said.
The local Japanese chamber of commerce has asked the Japanese government to ensure the safety of its nationals in the area, the organisation said in a statement.
The attack took place near the school on the anniversary of an incident in 1931 that triggered war between China and Japan, a sensitive date at a time when diplomatic relations are in danger of deteriorating.
It was the second such attack near a Japanese educational facility in China in recent months.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi declined to comment on any potential impact of the latest incident on bilateral ties.
The Japanese government has formally protested the attack, and the Chinese ambassador was summoned in Tokyo on the afternoon of Sept 18, according to a statement from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Sept 18 that the incident was under investigation and declined to comment on the motive of the attacker.
The incident follows a similar one in June when a man attacked a bus used by a Japanese school in the eastern city of Suzhou, resulting in the death of a Chinese national
The schoolboy’s death is likely to further damage ties between the two neighbours, which have been tense due to historical resentments, an ongoing territorial dispute, China’s reaction to Japan releasing wastewater from a destroyed nuclear power plant, and other issues.
Sept 18 marked the anniversary of the 1931 Mukden Incident, which was the beginning of the invasion of Manchuria.
Japan requested that China make every effort to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals, according to the ministry’s statement, and “strongly urged” that security be strengthened around Japanese schools in the nation.
Ambassador Wu Jianghao said it was a heartbreaking incident.
The Japanese government is still waiting for the authorities in Suzhou to provide a detailed explanation of the June attack, with the consulate in nearby Shanghai saying that they continue to request information from the city.
Also on Sept 18, a Chinese aircraft carrier entered Japan's contiguous waters
