Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has demanded a thorough explanation from Beijing over the fatal stabbing of a 10-year-old Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen, China. The boy, whose father is Japanese and mother is Chinese, was attacked by a 44-year-old man on his way to school, about 200 meters from the Japanese school gates. The suspect was apprehended at the scene and taken into custody.
Kishida condemned the attack as “a despicable crime and a serious and grave matter,” urging China to protect Japanese nationals in the country. China’s Foreign Ministry expressed regret and heartache, extending condolences to the boy’s family, and assured that the case would be handled according to the law. However, nationalism and anti-Japanese sentiment in China have raised concerns, with some online posts promoting “extreme nationalism” and calling for Japanese schools to be shut down.
This incident follows a similar attack in June, where a Japanese woman and her child were wounded in a stabbing incident in Suzhou, eastern China. Public attacks against foreigners have been rare in China, but recent high-profile stabbings have raised concerns. Four American college instructors were stabbed in Jilin, northeast China, two weeks before the Suzhou attack.
The attack’s timing, coinciding with the anniversary of the 1931 “918” incident, has sparked tensions. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa expressed disappointment, stating that Japan had requested enhanced safety measures ahead of the anniversary. Shenzhen residents have expressed shock and anger, with some leaving flowers and notes of apology outside the Japanese school gates.
The incident highlights growing concerns among Japanese families living in China, with Japanese schools facing criticism and suspicion from extreme Chinese nationalists. China’s social media platforms have launched a crackdown on online hate speech targeting Japanese, but anti-Japanese sentiment persists.
In response to the attack, Japan’s foreign ministry has urged Japanese schools in China to review their safety measures. China’s Foreign Ministry maintains that these incidents are isolated and pledges to continue protecting foreigners. However, the incident’s impact on Japan-China diplomatic relations remains uncertain.
