Japanese citizen arrested in northern China on suspicion of spying
Security bureau in port city of Dalian said to be handling case, though status of investigation unclear
A Japanese citizen was arrested in China on Monday on suspicion of spying, local media reported.
The arrest was made in the port city of Dalian in northeastern China’s Liaoning province, which borders North Korea, the official Dalian Daily said in a report on its website.
The suspect, Ken Higuchi, was being investigated by the Dalian City National Security Bureau on suspicion of spying against China, the report said, adding that prosecutors had approved his arrest.
The character given for Higuchi’s first name could also be read as Takeshi or Takeru.
It was unclear from the report, however, whether Higuchi was a new case or whether he had been detained earlier, and the latest development was his formal arrest.
China detained six Japanese nationals in March on suspicion of illegal activities. Four of the six returned to Japan in July, three of whom were there doing geological research into hot springs, according to their employer.