A Chinese man was sentenced to death Friday for fatally stabbing a 10-year-old Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen last September, a case that has raised concerns among Japanese expatriates in China. The sentencing follows another high-profile death sentence handed down the previous day to a Chinese man who attacked a Japanese mother and her child in Suzhou, killing a Chinese woman who intervened.
The verdicts come as Chinese courts carry out a series of high-profile executions. The Shenzhen and Suzhou stabbings were among three reported attacks on foreigners in China last year. Days before the Suzhou attack, four American college instructors were injured in a knife attack at a public park in Jilin, northern China.
Following the Shenzhen attack, Japanese companies including Toshiba and Toyota urged employees to exercise caution, while Panasonic offered free flights home to its staff in China. The case has fueled safety concerns among Japanese nationals living in the country.
In the Suzhou case, Zhou Jiasheng, 52, was sentenced to death for attacking individuals outside a Japanese school in June. The court determined Zhou acted out of despair after losing his job and accumulating significant debt. Chinese media reported that Zhou fatally stabbed Hu Youping, a bus attendant, who attempted to shield a Japanese mother and child.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that Chinese courts classified the attack as “intentional murder” due to its severe social impact. He called the crime “absolutely unforgivable” and commended Hu’s bravery. Japanese consulate officials attended the sentencing.
China has seen an increase in public acts of violence in recent years. Government data cited 19 attacks on pedestrians or strangers in 2023, a sharp rise from single-digit incidents in prior years. Many attackers reportedly acted on personal grievances, targeting random victims in acts described as “revenge on society.”
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, commented briefly on the case, reiterating China’s commitment to ensuring the safety of foreign nationals. “China will continue to uphold the rule of law and maintain public security,” Mao said.
In addition to the Shenzhen and Suzhou cases, Chinese courts have dealt with other violent incidents recently. On Monday, a man convicted of killing 35 people in a car attack—the deadliest such case in a decade—was executed. Last month, a university student received the death penalty for a stabbing spree that left eight dead. In December, a man who injured 30 people by driving into a crowd outside a primary school was handed a suspended death sentence.
