Chinese Court Jails Japanese Pharma Employee for 3.5 Years Over Espionage Charges

A Chinese court has sentenced a Japanese national to three and a half years in prison on charges of espionage, Japan’s embassy in Beijing confirmed on Wednesday.

The man, an employee of Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma Inc., was convicted by the No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court in Beijing for engaging in alleged spying activities, according to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency.

Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi called the ruling “extremely regrettable” and said Tokyo will continue to press for the man’s early release and provide him with full consular support.

The Japanese citizen was initially detained in March 2023, just before he was scheduled to return to Japan. He was formally arrested in October 2023 and later indicted in August 2024.

China has previously detained multiple Japanese nationals on similar charges, contributing to diplomatic tensions between the two countries.