TOKYO: Japan’s prime minister demanded an explanation from Beijing on Thursday about the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen and urged China to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens.

Wednesday’s attack, on the anniversary of a notorious 1931 incident in the run-up to Japan’s occupation of Manchuria, came against a backdrop of worsening bilateral relations.

Beijing responded by expressing condolences for the killing, calling it an isolated incident that “could happen in any country”. While the motivation of the assailant remained unclear, Japanese officials have urged increased security around Japanese schools in China.

“For now, we will strongly urge China to provide an explanation about the facts of what happened. Since it’s been more than a day since the incident happened, we expect them to offer an explanation as soon as possible,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, calling the attack “extremely despicable”.

“A case like this must not be repeated. We will strongly call on China to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens and prevent a recurrence, while at the same time, doing everything doable in our capacity as the government,” Kishida told reporters. Police in Shenzhen said a man had attacked a minor on Wednesday morning and the child was rushed to hospital. The suspect, a 44-year-old man, was detained, they said.

Japanese media reported that the boy was a 10-year-old Japanese national living in the southern Chinese city, and was attacked near a Japanese school.

Beijing on Thursday expressed “regret and sadness” over the “unfortunate incident”. “We mourn the passing of the boy and express our condolences to his family,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press conference. Asked if the incident was isolated, Lin said that according to “the current understanding of the situation, this is an individual case”.

“Similar cases could happen in any country,” he told reporters.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2024