China's foreign minister urges Japanese counterpart to deal “calmly” with fatal stabbing of boy

It is still unclear whether the attack was politically motivated, but it occurred on September 18, the anniversary of the “Mukden Incident” or “Manchurian Incident” of 1931, known in China as National Humiliation Day.

On this day, Japanese soldiers used an explosion on a railway line as a pretext to occupy the city of Mukden (now Shenyang) and invade the wider region.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said Kamikawa “strongly urged” China to clarify the relevant facts, including motives, and severely punish the perpetrator.

In particular, Kamikawa demanded that China crack down on “malicious and anti-Japanese posts on social media, including those referring to Japanese schools that have no basis in fact.”

“Minister Kamikawa then called on the two countries, as neighbours, to work seriously to improve the situation by openly confronting the problems that hinder bilateral exchanges,” the Japanese ministry said.

Before leaving for New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Kamikawa said Japan would spend 43 million yen ($300,000) to increase security at Japanese schools in China.

Last week, Beijing expressed its “regret and sadness” over the incident, which it said was an isolated case and “could happen in any country.”

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated as China has become increasingly assertive in territorial disputes in the region and Japan has strengthened its security ties with the United States and its allies.

But Beijing announced last week that it would “gradually resume” imports of seafood from Japan after imposing a ban in 2023 due to the release of water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.