A 10-year-old boy attending a Japanese school in Shenzhen, China, has died after being stabbed by an assailant, according to the Japanese government.
The incident occurred on Wednesday morning when the boy was attacked on his way to school.
The suspect, a 44-year-old man, was arrested at the scene by Chinese authorities.
The child succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of Thursday, Japan’s Foreign Minister, Yoko Kamikawa, announced.
Kamikawa expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stating, “This should never happen in any country. Particularly, I sincerely regret that this despicable act was committed against a child on his way to school.”
Japan has called on China to provide a full explanation of the attack and to implement stricter safety measures.
Both Japanese and Chinese authorities have refrained from disclosing the nationality of the victim, although the Shenzhen Japanese School, where the boy was enrolled, serves children of Japanese nationality.
Japan does not recognize dual citizenship for adults.
The attack occurred near the school on a historically sensitive date, marking the anniversary of the 1931 incident that sparked conflict between China and Japan.
The timing has raised concerns about its potential impact on already tense diplomatic relations between the two nations.
However, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, declined to comment on any political ramifications.
This tragic event marks the second attack near a Japanese educational facility in China within recent months.
In June, a man attacked a bus used by a Japanese school in Suzhou, resulting in the death of a Chinese national who tried to protect a Japanese mother and her child from the attacker.
Japanese authorities have expressed concern over the safety of their citizens in China and are urging Chinese officials to take stronger precautions to prevent such incidents in the future.
