BEIJING (Reuters) -The case of a Japanese man jailed for 12 years in China was handled according to the law, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday after he was asked about the man’s trial.
The Japanese Consulate-General in Shanghai said its officials were allowed to observe proceedings on Tuesday, but details could not be disclosed over privacy protections, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Japanese officials were barred from the first hearing of the trial that began in October 2023, the report said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a regular press conference that all legal procedures were followed.
“Japan should … educate and guide its citizens in China to abide by Chinese laws and regulations and not engage in illegal and criminal activities,” Lin said.
The man in his 50s, who has not been identified, was taken into custody in Shanghai in December 2021.
Japan’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case.
(Reporting by Joe Cash; Additional reporting by John Geddie in Tokyo; Writing by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Kate Mayberry)
