China Formally Arrests Japanese Employee of Drugmaker Astellas Detained by Beijing in March (UPDATE 1)

By Daisuke Kawase / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

17:37 JST, October 19, 2023 (updated at 18:10 JST)

BEIJING — A Japanese national detained by Chinese authorities in China has been formally arrested, Japanese government sources said Thursday.

The employee of Tokyo-based drugmaker Astellas Pharma Inc. was working in China when he was detained by Beijing’s national security authorities in March.

In September, the status of the employee was switched from “residential surveillance” in which he was placed under the supervision of the authorities, to “criminal detention,” which usually comes before an arrest.

The man is expected to be indicted and held before his trial.

The Japanese government has continually been requesting the early release of the detained Japanese national.