Photo/Illutration Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno at a news conference on Feb. 16. (The Asahi Shimbun)

The Japanese government is demanding the immediate release of a Japanese national in his 50s who was detained by Chinese authorities in Shanghai last year.

“On various levels and on many occasions, we have strongly urged China to grant an early release of this Japanese national,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a news conference on Feb. 17.

He revealed that the Japanese government was informed by China that the man had violated Chinese law.

Matsuno said the Japanese government has not received any information from China that would suggest the man is in poor health and is requesting a Japanese consular visit be allowed.

“From the standpoint of protecting Japanese nationals, we will communicate with his family and offer as much support as we can,” he said.

Matsuno also disclosed that a Japanese national in his 70s, who was detained in Beijing in June 2015 and imprisoned after receiving a 12-year jail sentence in December 2018, was transported to a hospital in Beijing on Feb. 7 and died from an illness.

He said the government received this information from the Chinese authorities.

“The Japanese government had strongly and repeatedly urged China to grant this Japanese national an early return to Japan from a humanitarian standpoint and in consideration of his illness,” Matsuno said.

“It is extremely regrettable that, despite that, the Japanese national died while unable to return to Japan. We have protested to China over the matter.”

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