Abe Calls On China To Release Japanese Professor Detained On Suspicion Of Spying - Reports

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has urged China to release a Japanese professor from Hokkaido University, who was detained in Beijing in September on suspicion of spying, at the meeting with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, media reported on Wednesday

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd October, 2019) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has urged China to release a Japanese professor from Hokkaido University, who was detained in Beijing in September on suspicion of spying, at the meeting with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, media reported on Wednesday.

Wang arrived in Tokyo to attend the enthronement ceremony of Japanese Emperor Naruhito on Tuesday. The meeting between the prime minister and the Chinese vice president was held amid a recent thaw in historically strained bilateral ties.

According to the Kyodo news agency, Abe asked Wang to take the necessary measures and handle the case of the Japanese professor in a positive manner, effectively calling for his release.

The man, who was not named, previously worked for the National Institute for Defense Studies in the Japanese Defense Ministry, as reported by local media.

At least 13 Japanese nationals have been detained in China on various charges, including espionage, since 2015.