Chinese Court’s Espionage Verdict Against Japanese Businessman Highlights Rising Beijing Intimidation

In a disturbing sign of rising geopolitical tensions, a Japanese businessman has been sentenced by a Chinese court to three and a half years in prison on espionage charges. This verdict, handed down by the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court, is yet another example of how Beijing weaponizes vague national security laws to intimidate foreign nationals and leverage political influence. The detainee, reportedly an employee in his 60s at Japan's Astellas Pharma Inc., has been held since March 2023 with limited transparency about the specifics of his case. Despite the presence of Japan’s ambassador Kenji Kanasugi during the ruling,...