(Adnkronos) – Chinese authorities have carried out the death sentence of Zhong Changchun, the man found guilty of murdering a 10-year-old Japanese boy last September in Shenzhen, southeastern China. The victim was on his way to school when he was stabbed, in an attack that deeply shocked both China and Japan, raising fears of a possible xenophobic motive. The Japanese embassy in Beijing confirmed the execution to the BBC, stating that “the killing of an innocent child is an unforgivable crime”.
The Japanese government has reiterated the need to guarantee the safety of its citizens in China, in a context marked by growing hostility towards foreigners, also fueled by Chinese nationalist social media. Immediately after the attack, Japanese companies such as Toyota and Panasonic had adopted security measures for their employees, even offering return flights home. Although the verdict did not refer to the victim’s nationality, many observers pointed out that the attack took place on September 18, a symbolic date for the Chinese historical memory of the Japanese occupation of Manchuria.
The case has rekindled historical tensions between Beijing and Tokyo, at a time already marked by other violent episodes against foreign citizens in China. Just last June, a man stabbed a Japanese mother and her son in Suzhou, killing a Chinese citizen who intervened in their defense. The culprit was also recently executed in that case, according to Japanese authorities.
