Suspect Detained Following Attack on Japanese Woman in Suzhou, China; Injuries Apparently Not Life-Threatening

By Miho Tamura / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

14:22 JST, August 2, 2025

SHANGHAI — A suspect in the Thursday attack of a Japanese woman and her child in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, was detained on Friday, according to Japanese and Chinese sources.

The woman was walking with her child after getting off a train when the suspect threw what appeared to be a rock at her. The woman’s injuries are apparently not life-threatening. Local public security authorities told the Japanese side on Friday evening that the suspect had been detained.

Following the attack, the Japanese government demanded the Chinese government strictly handle the matter, prevent similar incidents and ensure the security of Japanese nationals. The Japanese Embassy in China informed Japanese people living in China of the case and called for vigilance.

Another incident occurred in Suzhou in June last year, where a Japanese woman, her child and others waiting for a school bus were attacked by a Chinese man wielding a knife. A Chinese woman who tried to stop the assailant was killed. Thursday’s incident apparently occurred about a 30-minute car ride from last year’s incident.

For China, this year marks the 80th anniversary of its victory against Japan. A TV drama themed around anti-Japanese activities has been broadcast. A film about the Nanjing incident and the former Japanese Imperial Army also opened in theaters in late July, accompanied by related events and exhibitions, raising concerns over a potential increase in anti-Japanese sentiment.