Beijing, Nov. 7 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma Inc., who was sentenced to three years and six months in prison for espionage in China, is expected to be released in mid-December and return to Japan, Jiji Press learned Saturday. According to sources, arrangements are likely being made to release the employee of the Japanese pharmaceutical company in his 60s on Dec. 14. The employee was suddenly detained by Chinese authorities in March 2023, when he was about to leave China after the end of his Beijing assignment. He was indicted in August 2024. Upon handing down the sentence in July 2025, a Beijing district court said that he had engaged in espionage by providing China-related information to an intelligence agency and receiving compensation. It, however, failed to provide details on such activities. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
