A child attending a Japanese school in the Chinese city of Shenzhen has tragically died after being stabbed on Wednesday, officials confirmed on Thursday. This marks the second such attack near Japanese educational institutions in China in recent months.
Chinese authorities reported that the 10-year-old boy, a Japanese national born to a Japanese father and a Chinese mother, was attacked on his way to school around 8am on Wednesday by a 44-year-old assailant identified as Zhong. The boy succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of Thursday, according to Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, who addressed reporters in Tokyo.
"Medical experts did everything possible to save his life, and the Chinese side will offer the necessary support to his family to handle his affairs," stated Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, during a regular news conference in Beijing. "Based on the information currently available, this appears to be an isolated incident, which could happen in any country," he added.
On Thursday afternoon, mourners placed wreaths at the gates of the school located in Shenzhen's affluent Shekou area, a neighborhood known for its large foreign community and international schools. "As Chinese citizens, we condemn this behavior and the teachings of hatred," said one man who identified himself as an ordinary Shenzhen resident. "Many of us have been subjected to such hateful teachings for a long time, leading to such tragic outcomes," he continued.
The attack occurred on the anniversary of a 1931 incident that sparked war between China and Japan, a particularly sensitive date amid current tensions in diplomatic relations. "I was unaware that September 18th was a day for Chinese people to seek revenge for events during the Second World War," said a Japanese father of two children in Shenzhen, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns. "I have lived here for seven years and did not realize we need to be cautious about our Japanese identity while living in China."
Japan has requested China to provide a thorough explanation of the facts and to implement robust safety measures, Kamikawa informed reporters earlier in the day. "I view this incident with the utmost seriousness," she added. "Such an act should never occur in any country. I deeply regret that this heinous crime was committed against a child on their way to school."
The local Japanese chamber of commerce has urged the Japanese government to ensure the safety of its nationals in the area, as stated in a recent release. This is the second such attack near a Japanese educational facility in China in recent months. In June, a man assaulted a bus used by a Japanese school in the eastern city of Suzhou, resulting in the death of a Chinese national who attempted to shield a Japanese mother and her child from the attacker.
