On September 18, a 10-year-old Japanese boy was attacked by a 44-year-old Chinese man with a knife outside the Japanese school in Shenzhen and tragically died that day. This incident not only sparked strong concerns from the Japanese Prime Minister and Foreign Minister but also caused panic in the Japanese community in China, with some Japanese companies possibly speeding up the evacuation of their employees and family members as a result.
Living in Shenzhen for five years, a Japanese entrepreneur, Mr. A (pseudonym), was deeply shocked by the incident. He told Voice of America that he found it hard to believe such a terrifying and brutal event could happen in Shenzhen.
“Before this incident occurred, I always thought Shenzhen was a very peaceful city, especially in the Shekou district where the Japanese school is located. I used to think it was the wealthiest and safest place. Therefore, this incident has left me and the Japanese residents in Shenzhen extremely shocked. It has also affected my mental state. I just went to the scene in Shekou, and when chatting with my Japanese friends living there, we are still feeling heartbroken. That’s our current situation,” said Mr. A.
Mr. A came to Shenzhen alone in 2019 to start a business, believing it to be a free and safe city. However, this incident has deeply shaken his confidence.
“For example, if I speak loudly in Japanese with a Japanese friend on the street, even though 99% of people are good, I can’t judge how the 1% of bad people will react to me—whether they want to hit me or kill me. So, now I dare not speak Japanese on the street, which has a big impact on me.”
Joel Fukuzawa, a business and legal consultant who has been observing Japanese cultural phenomena for a long time, mentioned in an interview with Voice of America that he has also noticed the anxious atmosphere among the Japanese community in China.
He said: “Japanese schools not only exist in Shenzhen but in several cities in China. The reason the attacker targeted the child was because he was carrying the leather school bag commonly used by Japanese students, immediately identifying him as Japanese. Therefore, now in the Japanese community in China, everyone reminds each other: when elementary students go out, try to avoid carrying the school bags commonly used in Japan to reduce the risk of being identified and better integrate into the local society.”
In June this year, in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, a Japanese mother and her son were attacked by a Chinese man with a knife at a school bus stop of a Japanese school, and a Chinese woman accompanying them tragically died while trying to stop the attacker. Although the Japanese government has repeatedly urged the Chinese side to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens in China, there have been no apparent measures taken by the Chinese side so far.
Yumi Iijima, a researcher at The Japan Institute of International Affairs, told Voice of America that it is currently unclear whether the incidents in Suzhou and Shenzhen are related to anti-Japanese sentiments. However, the excessive nationalism promoted by the Chinese (CCP) authorities in some aspects has brought about significant danger.
As the Chinese economy declines, anti-Japanese sentiment is gradually becoming an outlet for public sentiment. Recalling the past, Mr. A said, “When the Chinese economy was in a downturn, every time they would use this (anti-Japanese movement) to divert attention from domestic issues. When I was studying in Beijing in 2011 during the Lehman Brothers crisis in the United States, the Chinese economy was also affected, and the overall situation was not optimistic. To shift public focus, the Chinese (CCP) government made the people reflect on Sino-Japanese history ‘never forget the initial reason,’ and then encouraged them to start anti-Japanese movements.” However, Mr. A emphasized that although the situation in 2012 and now are similar, “the biggest difference is that this time it involves killing Japanese people, which is a completely different level.”
Currently, there are approximately 100,000 Japanese residents in China, making it the second-largest country for Japanese residents after the United States. Despite attracting a large number of Japanese nationals and their families, the number has been steadily declining since reaching a peak of 150,000 Japanese nationals in China in 2012.
Yumi Iijima, a researcher at The Japan Institute of International Affairs, stated that in recent years, with Japanese citizens being detained on espionage charges and Japanese companies facing economic downturns in China, more and more Japanese people have begun to worry about their safety and risks in China. The events in Suzhou and Shenzhen have intensified this anxiety, leading some Japanese companies to reassess the security measures for their employees.
Following the incident, the Panasonic Group announced that Japanese employees and their families can apply to temporarily return to Japan, with the company bearing their expenses. Several Japanese companies, such as Toshiba and Toyota, have also urged their employees in China to remain vigilant and prioritize safety. Whether this incident will impact Japanese companies accelerating their withdrawal from China remains to be seen.
Joel Fukuzawa stated, “The incident of the Japanese boy being stabbed to death will definitely accelerate the withdrawal of the manufacturing industry. This is why companies like Panasonic are taking action because they have found it increasingly difficult to gain more benefits locally. With China moving towards electrification and the era of electric cars, the Japanese automobile industry is being pursued by China. For them, staying in China is of no benefit. In such an environment, the only option is to retreat.”
Mr. A predicts that with the approach of China’s National Day holiday, more Japanese employees in China will take this opportunity to return to Japan, especially those with family members.