China confirms 12-year jail sentence for Japanese man in spying case

A Chinese language courtroom has upheld the 12-year jail sentence for a Japanese nationwide accused of espionage, sources mentioned Saturday.

The enchantment by the person in his 50s in opposition to the sentence was rejected by Hunan Excessive Individuals’s Court docket on Nov. 3, the sources mentioned.

The person was detained in July 2019 in Changsha within the southern province of Hunan by nationwide safety workers in control of searching out spies. A district courtroom sentenced him to 12 years in jail in February this 12 months.

The Japanese authorities requested China to launch him as quickly as attainable.

In China, 17 Japanese nationals have been detained underneath the anti-espionage regulation that went into impact in 2014. In July this 12 months, the communist nation enforced the revised anti-espionage regulation, strengthening surveillance.

The scenario has many expatriates involved. Final month, it emerged {that a} Japanese worker of Astellas Pharma, detained in March on suspicion of spying, was formally arrested.