China again urges Japan to severely punish knife intruder at its embassy in Japan
In short
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on October 8 again urged Japan to severely punish Murata (村田晃大), who she said is an active-duty Japan Self-Defense Forces officer who entered China's embassy in Japan with a knife. She was answering a question about reports that the Tokyo District Court held the first public hearing in the case on October 1.
Read the full story 1 min read
China's Foreign Ministry on October 8 again urged Japan to severely punish a man who entered the Chinese embassy in Japan with a knife. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the comments at a regular press conference in response to a question citing reports that the Tokyo District Court had held the first public hearing for Murata (村田晃大) on October 1. Xinhua described the hearing as the first court session in the case of Murata illegally entering the Chinese embassy in Japan with a knife. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Mao Ning said an active-duty officer of Japan's Self-Defense Forces had entered the Chinese embassy in Japan with a knife and threatened Chinese diplomatic staff with violence. She called it a vicious incident unheard of in the international community and said it seriously violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and seriously threatened the personal safety of Chinese diplomats and the security of diplomatic premises. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
She said the incident exposed several deep-seated problems in Japan, including rampant right-wing forces and lax management and education of Self-Defense Forces personnel. Whether Japan deals with the case seriously in accordance with the law, she said, tests whether the Japanese government can truly fulfil its obligations under international law and concerns Japan's national credibility and international image. "We once again urge Japan to severely punish the perpetrator as a warning to others," she said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The remarks were carried by state news agency Xinhua and China News Service and by business outlets CLS, Yicai and Jiemian, several of which cited CCTV News. The documents do not report a response from Japan or details of the proceedings at the October 1 hearing. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Why it matters
Mao Ning said whether Japan handles the case seriously under the law will test whether the Japanese government fulfils its obligations under international law and bears on Japan's national credibility and international image. The comments, carried by state media and business outlets after the first court hearing, keep the case on the agenda of China-Japan relations.
Key facts
- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning commented on the case at a regular press conference on October 8. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- A reporter's question cited reports that the Tokyo District Court held the first public hearing for Murata (村田晃大) on October 1. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Mao Ning said an active-duty Japan Self-Defense Forces officer entered the Chinese embassy in Japan with a knife and threatened Chinese diplomatic staff with violence. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- She said the act seriously violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and threatened the safety of Chinese diplomats and diplomatic premises. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- She said the case exposed rampant right-wing forces in Japan and lax management and education of Self-Defense Forces personnel. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- China again urged Japan to severely punish the perpetrator as a warning to others. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Mao Ning urged Japan again on October 8 to severely punish the man who entered the Chinese embassy in Japan with a knife. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Mao Ning described the intruder as an active-duty Japan Self-Defense Forces officer who threatened Chinese diplomatic staff with violence. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The question to the spokesperson cited reports that the Tokyo District Court held the first public hearing in the case on October 1. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- The charges against Murata and what was said at the October 1 hearing. The documents mention the hearing only through a reporter's question and give no details of the proceedings.
- When the embassy intrusion took place. None of the documents gives the date of the incident.
- Japan's response to China's demand. The documents carry only the Chinese Foreign Ministry's comments.