Beijing confirms Japanese citizen held over spying claim

China is investigating a Japanese citizen on suspicion of endangering national security, Beijing said on Saturday.

The ministry confirmed a report from Kyodo news agency on Friday, and added the Japanese embassy had been informed.

The man, in his late 50s, had been staying in Beijing for five days but did not return to Japan as expected on July 15 and has not answered his mobile phone, Kyodo cited Japanese government sources and others as saying.

The Japanese government said on Thursday that a Japanese man was detained in China, but did not say on what charges. When asked whether he was suspected of spying, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Japan did not engage in espionage against any country.