China confirms Japanese citizen has been jailed for spying in Shanghai

China confirmed on Wednesday that it had imprisoned a Japanese national in Shanghai for spying.

It was the first official comment on the case and came a day after Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported that a Japanese man in his 50s had been sentenced to 12 years on espionage charges.

Beijing has not released any details of the case, but foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a scheduled press conference: “The judicial authorities have handled this case strictly in accordance with legal procedures, ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of the person concerned throughout the process.”

Lin called on Japan to “respect China’s judicial sovereignty” and “educate and guide its citizens in China to abide by Chinese laws and regulations, and refrain from engaging in illegal activities”.

Kyodo said that the man had been detained in Shanghai in December 2021 and indicted in August 2023.

This is not the only case of a Japanese national being charged with espionage by Chinese authorities in recent years.