Japanese Man Detained in Beijing Confirmed to Be Astellas Employee

Jiji Press

15:38 JST, March 27, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The Japanese man who was detained in Beijing this month is an employee of Astellas Pharma Inc. , it was learned Sunday.

A public relations official of Astellas said that an employee of the major Japanese drugmaker has been detained in China, adding, “We are gathering information through the Foreign Ministry and will respond appropriately.”

According to informed sources, the man, in his 50s, was detained earlier this month for allegedly violating a Chinese law.

It is possible that the man faces espionage charges, but details including the circumstances leading to his detention are unknown.

Astellas has not revealed the name of the detained employee or the division to which he belongs.

In China, the company makes and sells drugs, having offices in Beijing and Hong Kong.