10-Year-Old Japanese Boy Dies After Stabbing in Shenzhen, Heightening Anxiety Among Japanese Community in China

A 10-year-old Japanese boy who was stabbed near his school in Shenzhen, China, has died, Japan’s government confirmed on Thursday, sparking widespread concern across the Japanese community in China. The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday morning when a 44-year-old man attacked the boy on a sidewalk approximately 200 meters from the Japanese school he attended.

The Japanese Consulate-General in Guangzhou, which covers the city of Shenzhen, reported that despite emergency surgery and other efforts to save the child’s life, he succumbed to his injuries early Thursday morning. The child was accompanied by a parent at the time of the attack, though the parent was unharmed.

The boy’s death marks a grim turn for the Japanese community, already shaken by another violent incident earlier this year. In June, a Japanese mother and son were injured in a similar stabbing at a school bus stop in Suzhou, where a Chinese woman attempting to protect the pair was killed.

Speaking before the boy’s death was confirmed, Japan’s Ambassador to China, Kenji Kanasugi, expressed deep concern over the attack, urging the Chinese authorities to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals. “I urged the Chinese side once again to ensure the security of Japanese nationals,” Kanasugi told reporters in Beijing.

Yoshiko Kijima, Japan’s consul general in Guangzhou, visited the boy at the hospital before his death. She urged Shenzhen authorities to offer support to the family and take all necessary precautions to prevent future attacks. The Japanese school has since announced it will remain closed for the rest of the week.

Shenzhen, known as “China’s Silicon Valley” for its booming tech industry, is home to around 3,600 Japanese nationals as of October 2023. Major Japanese companies, including Toyota Motor, operate in the city. The attack has deeply unsettled the Japanese community, prompting Japanese authorities to issue safety advisories.

In response, the Japanese Embassy in Beijing and the Japanese Consulate in Guangzhou have urged Japanese citizens in China to remain vigilant and cautious. Japanese nationals were advised to avoid speaking Japanese loudly in public and to take extra precautions, especially when allowing children to go out.

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China has called for detailed information on the incident to be made public as soon as possible. Meanwhile, schools serving the Japanese community in China have tightened security, with the Japanese School of Beijing sending safety tips to parents and the Japanese School of Guangzhou advising against unnecessary outings.

While Chinese authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack, there is no clear indication if the boy was targeted specifically because he was Japanese. The attack occurred on the 93rd anniversary of the Mukden Incident, a prelude to Japan’s invasion of Manchuria in 1931, leading some to speculate whether the date played a role in the attacker’s motives. However, there is no confirmed connection between the historical anniversary and the attack.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed the incident in a press conference, stating that the case remains under investigation and affirming China’s commitment to protecting foreign nationals.

The stabbing comes amid a series of recent violent incidents involving foreigners in China, including the June stabbing of four American college instructors in Jilin. On social media, reactions to the attack have varied. Some commentators condemned the violence, stressing that “violence is not patriotism,” while others linked the surge in attacks to China’s current economic challenges, including a real estate slump and rising job insecurity.

For the Japanese community in China, this incident has deepened anxiety and heightened concerns about safety. “I was reminded that we should be especially careful on anniversaries of dates the Chinese government considers significant, like those from China’s war of resistance against Japan,” said a Japanese mother with a young child in Shenzhen.

As the investigation continues, the Japanese government has vowed to work closely with Chinese authorities to ensure the safety of its citizens living in the country.