Japan releases data to counter China’s claim of crimes against Chinese

NHK World - The Japanese Foreign Ministry has released data to counter China's claim that crimes against Chinese nationals are on the rise in Japan.

The ministry on Friday disclosed the number of murder, robbery and arson cases in Japan since 2023 recognized by police, in which the victims were Chinese.

The ministry said there were 15 murder cases in 2023 and 2024 each, while seven occurred in the first 10 months of this year.

The number of robberies was 31 in 2023 and 27 in 2024. There were 21 between January and October this year.

As for arson, there were two incidents in 2023 and three in 2024. In 2025, there were no cases of arson against Chinese by October.

The ministry said these numbers include cases in which the main suspect was found to be Chinese.

The ministry said: "In recent announcements by the Chinese government, there are mentions as if there has been a surge in criminal cases against Chinese nationals in Japan this year, suggesting an increased risk of safety. However, such assertion is incorrect."

Beijing has been reacting sharply to a remark by Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae concerning a possible emergency over Taiwan.

The Chinese government has urged Chinese citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan and be careful when planning to study there, citing security concerns and claiming that crimes against Chinese are rampant.