An expert on Asian affairs explains to “Sky News Arabia” the reasons for the repeated incidents of China announcing the arrest of Japanese “spies”, especially with Tokyo’s alignment with Washington in policies that Beijing considers “hostile” to it.
“discipline” citizens
On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said: “This Japanese national is suspected of engaging in espionage activities, in violation of the Penal Law and the Anti-Espionage Law of the People’s Republic of China.”
She added during a press conference: “China is a country governed by the rule of law. Foreign nationals must abide by Chinese laws. Those who break the law and commit crimes and misdemeanors are prosecuted.”
Referring to the recurrence of this incident, the spokeswoman said: “There have been similar cases in recent years involving Japanese. Japan should better discipline its citizens.”
For its part, Tokyo called on the same day to release its 50-60-year-old citizen “as soon as possible.”
According to the Japanese “Kyodo” news agency, the man, who was a former senior official in the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, was arrested prior to his return to Japan this month.
Third time in 4 years
An expert on Asian affairs, Amer Tammam, comments on the Chinese move by saying that “China has a very high sense of security,” and does not hesitate to arrest those accused of espionage, and it has laws regulating this matter.
Tamam recalls the previous facts of the arrest of Japanese on charges of espionage in China:
- In October 2019, Beijing arrested a Japanese university professor on charges of espionage. He was released the following month.
- In March 2020, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the arrest of a Chinese man accused of espionage who also works at a Japanese university.
Lack of trust
However, the “high sense of security” is not the only reason behind the arrest of the Japanese accused of espionage, but also the lack of trust and the recent rise in tension between the two countries.
At this point, the political analyst gives examples of the reasons for the differences and the escalation of tension between Beijing and Tokyo:
- Japanese expansion of military spending by up to $315 billion over five years.
- Japan intends to double its defense budget to 2 percent of its gross domestic product by 2027.
- Japan’s endeavor to deter Beijing from using force in the East China Sea (located between the two countries).
- Japan announced that it suspected that Chinese control balloons had entered its airspace at least 3 times since 2019.
- Tokyo supported Washington’s political stances regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea region.
Historical depth of tension between the two countries
The emergence of crises every once in a while between China and Japan is due to a bitter historical background in the throat of the two peoples, linked to memories of wars, massacres, and accusations of genocide, and the concern of each country about the ambitions of the other in it:
- The First Sino-Japanese War occurred in 1894.
- Before and during World War II, the Second Sino-Japanese War took place, and it only ended with Japan declaring its surrender to the Allied Powers.
- With China’s conversion to communism and Japan joining the Western camp during the Cold War, mistrust prevailed between the two sides.
- The two countries dispute sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
- In 1972, relations were normalized, but the tension was renewed whenever one of the two countries carried out significant military activity, or increased armaments, as well as with Japan taking the American side in the Taiwan crisis.
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