A wave of fear has swept through the Japanese community in China after the tragic stabbing death of a 10-year-old Japanese boy in the city of Shenzhen. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, marked the second attack near a Japanese school in recent months, raising serious concerns about the safety of Japanese nationals in China. The timing of the attack, coinciding with the anniversary of a 1931 incident that sparked war between China and Japan, further amplified anxieties.
In response to the incident, several Japanese companies in China have offered to relocate their staff and families back to Japan. The decision, while driven by safety concerns, highlights the deep sense of unease and uncertainty within the Japanese community.
On Thursday, the Japanese embassy in Beijing met with representatives of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and the Beijing Japanese School to address the safety concerns. The embassy also confirmed that Japan’s ambassador to Beijing, Kenji Kanasugi, had spoken with China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, urging Beijing to enhance security measures.
While the embassy refrained from explicitly mentioning relocation plans, a Japanese executive based in Beijing, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, revealed that some companies were offering their employees the option of returning to Japan. Several employees from four Japanese firms corroborated this, stating that larger companies were either providing relocation assistance to Japanese employees and their families or were considering doing so.
The executive expressed the widespread shock and fear within the community, stating, “It is a really heavy shock… And this is another instance where a Japanese school was targeted.” He further confirmed that temporary relocation was a common response, with many Japanese companies taking this step.
The executive emphasized the need for understanding the motives behind the attack, saying, “We need to know why this happened again… otherwise, we can’t live and work here.”
China’s foreign ministry, in a statement on Thursday, expressed condolences to the victim’s family and characterized the crime as an “individual case.” However, Japan has pressed the Chinese government for stronger security measures and detailed information regarding the incident.
The 10-year-old boy, a Japanese national with a Japanese father and a Chinese mother, was fatally stabbed on his way to school by a 44-year-old man surnamed Zhong. According to Chinese media reports, the assailant, who was arrested in 2015 for destroying public telecoms facilities, confessed to the attack.
The tragedy in Shenzhen serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of Japanese nationals in China, prompting a reassessment of security measures and a difficult balancing act between maintaining cultural exchange and ensuring the safety of their citizens.
