A Chinese man who stabbed a 10-year-old Japanese boy to death in Shenzhen has been executed, the Japanese Embassy in China has confirmed.
The man, Zhong Changchun, was sentenced to death in January for the attack, which happened in September 2023 as the boy was walking to a Japanese school. The victim had a Japanese father and a Chinese mother.
The killing shocked many people in both China and Japan, and raised fears that it may have been a xenophobic (anti-foreigner) attack.
In a statement to the BBC, the Japanese Embassy said, “The Government of Japan considers the murder of a completely innocent child to be an unforgivable crime, and we take this execution with the utmost solemnity.”
The embassy added that Japan would continue to take all possible safety measures to protect its citizens in China. It also urged the Chinese government to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals living there.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Japan of the execution, according to the embassy.
Following the incident last year, many Japanese residents in China became afraid. Companies such as Toyota advised their workers to be careful, while Panasonic offered free flights home to employees.
Though the court judgment did not mention Japan, Japan’s Ambassador to China, Kenji Kanasugi, said that Zhong had asked to speak with the victim’s family. However, it remains unclear if the boy was targeted because of his nationality.
Some online users noted that the stabbing happened on 18 September — the anniversary of the Mukden Incident in 1931, which led to Japan’s occupation of part of China. This date holds strong emotions for many Chinese people.
The case has also drawn attention to growing anti-foreigner comments on Chinese social media, which some say are fueled by rising nationalism.
Tensions between China and Japan have existed for years due to past wars and historical issues. China has often asked Japan to apologise more clearly for its actions during its occupation of parts of China in the early 20th century.
This stabbing was not the only recent attack on foreigners in China. In another case last June, a Chinese man attacked a Japanese mother and her child in Suzhou.
He mistakenly killed a Chinese woman who tried to protect them. That attacker was also executed, Japanese officials confirmed.
