By SOTARO HATA/ Correspondent
July 16, 2025 at 17:07 JST
The Beijing Second Intermediate People's Court on July 16 (Sotaro Hata)
BEIJING—A Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma Inc. who has been detained here by Chinese authorities on suspicion of espionage was sentenced on July 16 to three years and six months in prison.
Kenji Kanasugi, the Japanese ambassador to China who witnessed the verdict being handed down by the Beijing Second Intermediate People's Court, equivalent to a district court, spoke to reporters afterward.
According to Kanasugi, the court found that the man had engaged in espionage, but the ambassador did not disclose the content of the ruling, citing the man’s wishes and other reasons.
The man was detained in March 2023, shortly before he was about to return to Japan after completing his term of service in China.
The man was placed under house arrest and interrogated in a facility designated by Chinese authorities. He was indicted in August 2024.
To date, the specifics of the indictment have not been revealed.
His first trial in November 2024 was not open to the public.
He has not been allowed to discuss the details of the case in consular visits, which have been held once a month.
Sources said the man had been stationed in China for a long time and was a well-known figure in the Japanese business community in Beijing.
Seventeen Japanese have been detained on suspicion of espionage and other crimes since 2015, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Five of them, including the Astellas employee, are still being held by the Chinese authorities.
As for the other four, their prison sentences were finalized and they are currently serving 12 to 15 years.
The lack of transparency surrounding the arrest on espionage and other charges has caused anxiety among expatriates of Japanese companies involved in business with China. The Japanese side had repeatedly called for the man’s early release.
This latest ruling could cast an even darker shadow over Japan-China ties.
A spokesperson for Astellas said, “We will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities and take appropriate measures.”
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