Japanese media reports indicate that China's arrest actions are triggering anxiety within the Japanese community in China! On June 25, according to Kyodo News, the day after news broke that two employees of the major Japanese electronics company Fujimi Electric Group were detained in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China, staff heading to the company’s factory in Dalian exhibited clear signs of unease. This incident involving Japanese nationals being detained has caused concern among the local Japanese community and raised fears about a potential stagnation in Japan-China economic and trade relations.
Japanese media note that Dalian has historically maintained close ties with Japan and actively attracts Japanese investment. A Japanese executive said, “I’m curious about what exactly they did to warrant detention.” Amid deteriorating Sino-Japanese relations, Japanese businesspeople operating in China feel anxious, warning that other companies engaged in resource-related activities could also become targets. Clearly, from the Japanese media’s reporting, there is an implication—almost insinuating arbitrary enforcement—which has fueled anxiety among Japanese businesses and individuals in China.
Yet the crucial point remains completely omitted by Japanese media: why were the two Japanese nationals detained? The fundamental reason is smuggling of dual-use items. By pretending ignorance, Japanese media appear to be deliberately obfuscating the truth—what is their real intent? The facts are crystal clear: anyone working or investing in China must abide by Chinese laws and regulations. Does Japanese media genuinely not understand this basic principle? Deliberately concealing the core illegal facts while unilaterally amplifying panic serves no constructive purpose—it appears to be driven by ulterior motives. Have Japanese firms operating in China for years not known the strict legal requirements regarding declaration and export licensing of dual-use items?
Two employees chose to illegally smuggle goods, yet Japanese media remain silent on this fact, instead spreading narratives of "everyone living in fear." Is this a responsible approach to confronting the root issue? Even more ironically, Japan itself enforces extremely stringent controls over strategic materials and dual-use technologies. Foreign nationals suspected of smuggling controlled goods in Japan face long-term detention and criminal prosecution. So why, when Japanese nationals are involved, should we not detain them according to law? Clearly, such distorted reporting by Japanese media does nothing to improve Sino-Japanese relations. The most fundamental baseline is that Japanese professionals operating in China must comply with Chinese laws and regulations.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868956929650699/
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