Japanese boy in China fatally stabbed amid rising anti-Japan sentiment

A 10-year-old Japanese boy was fatally stabbed on his way to school in Shenzhen, China, on Wednesday, coinciding with the anniversary of Japan’s 1931 invasion of Manchuria. This is the second such attack in recent months, raising fears among Japanese expatriates and stoking tensions between China and Japan amid growing anti-Japanese sentiment.

What happened: The boy was stabbed in the abdomen just outside his school, the Shenzhen Japanese School, at around 8 a.m. Despite receiving treatment, he died from his injuries early the next day. The suspect, identified as a 44-year-old with the surname Zhong, has a prior criminal record — including “damaging public infrastructure” and “interfering with public order” — but his motive remains under investigation. In response to the incident, local officials have expressed condolences and increased security measures near the school. Meanwhile, Shenzhen residents began laying flowers at the school gate. “This child, no matter which country he is from, is the hope of a family, and of a nation,” said a retired teacher. Japan has condemned the incident and is now seeking answers, while China, which described the attack as an “isolated incident,” vows to “continue to take effective measures to protect the safety of all foreigners.”
The big picture: The incident has reignited concerns over anti-Japanese sentiment in China, which has fluctuated over the years due to historical grievances, such as Japan’s occupation of parts of the country during World War II. The attack, in particular, occurred on the anniversary of the 1931 Mukden Incident, a key moment in Japan’s invasion of Manchuria. Rising geopolitical tensions, including Japan’s release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant, have further fueled nationalist sentiment in China. Wednesday’s stabbing follows a similar incident in June when a Japanese mother and her child were attacked near a Japanese school in Suzhou, leaving a Chinese bus attendant dead while trying to protect them. Videos calling for Japanese schools to be shut down have also circulated on social media. After Wednesday’s incident, some Japanese companies have issued safety warnings and even offered their employees free flights home. Some Japanese parents have also decided to send their children abroad earlier than planned.

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