Incident Not Isolated, But Result of Decades of Anti-Japanese Sentiment

A 10-year-old boy from a Japanese school in Shenzhen was stabbed on his way to school on the 18th, and despite rescue efforts, he died. According to experts, this incident is not an isolated case, but rather the result of decades of anti-Japanese sentiment fostered by Beijing authorities.

The 10-year-old boy was stabbed 200 meters outside the school gate, and police identified the killer as a 44-year-old man named Zhong.

Tomoko Ako, a professor at the University of Tokyo specializing in contemporary China, stated, “This unfortunate incident is inevitable. It is noteworthy that the Chinese authorities are instilling hatred of Japan and the Japanese among the Chinese people through education.”

Ako emphasized the importance of facing history, but pointed out that inciting hatred is dangerous, saying, “There are many people who are hostile to the Japanese, and even those who are not hostile to the Japanese can make a name for themselves by attacking the Japanese.”

Shingo Yamagami, Japan’s former ambassador to Australia, posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, “This is the result of (anti-Japanese) school education and the bellicose rhetoric of the wolf warrior diplomatic environment in recent years.” He also warned Japanese citizens to think twice about investing in China due to similar attacks on overseas Chinese.

The killing of the Japanese boy in Shenzhen has put the Beijing authorities in an awkward position, as they hope to be recognized as a responsible world player.

China’s foreign ministry described the case as an “isolated case,” but Ako disagreed, stating that there could be “very serious” consequences if China reacts inappropriately.

Ako urged the Chinese government to sincerely apologize and conduct a thorough investigation, saying, “Otherwise, the international community will not accept it.”