China Indicts Astellas Pharma Employee Following Detention

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:33 JST, August 21, 2024

BEIJING – Chinese prosecutors indicted in mid-August a Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma Inc. whom the Chinese authorities detained in March last year on suspicion of espionage, according to Japanese government sources.　The Japanese government is calling for his early release, but the Chinese side has not complied, and his detention is expected to be prolonged further.

The man in his 50s was held in custody in Beijing just before returning to Japan and was formally arrested last October. He is said to be in good health. Japanese Embassy officials in Beijing have met with him 16 times so far.