Last year in June, a Japanese mother and her child were attacked and injured in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Today (January 23), a mainland Chinese man who was indicted for the crime was sentenced to death by the intermediate court in Suzhou City.
According to reports from Kyodo News, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan stated that on January 23, 2025, the intermediate court in Suzhou City sentenced the 52-year-old Chinese defendant to death for the intentional homicide of the Japanese mother and child who were attacked and injured in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province last June.
In this case, the defendant attacked the Japanese mother and child at the train station with a knife, resulting in injuries to them and fatally stabbing Chinese school bus guide Hu Youping, who tried to stop the crime.
The motive of the defendant was not mentioned related to Japan during the trial.
Reports indicated that the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai also had representatives present during the court proceedings.
In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshikazu stated during a press conference regarding the verdict of this case, “Criminal behavior cannot be tolerated. We take this judgment very seriously.” He strongly urged China to ensure the safety of Japanese expatriates in the country.
The incident took place on June 24 last year when a pair of Japanese mother and child waiting for the school bus were injured by a man with a knife at the station. Hu Youping, a 54-year-old Chinese woman who tried to stop the attacker, was fatally stabbed.
After Hu Youping tragically lost her life for standing up against the criminal, Japanese officials, media, and the public expressed their respect and condolences for her.
The Chinese Communist Party labeled this case as a “random incident” and claimed it wasn’t targeting Japanese individuals. However, many Japanese citizens raised doubts, believing it was an attempt by the CCP to control public opinion for stability purposes.
Some Japanese netizens praised Hu Youping’s actions as a humanitarian act transcending borders, deserving recognition.
Other Japanese netizens expressed concerns that in China, under the one-party rule of the Communist Party, scenarios unimaginable in free countries like Japan could occur.
The suspect, a man in his fifties, was apprehended at the scene of the crime after the attack. He was indicted at the end of November last year and the case was brought to trial in Suzhou on January 9 this year.