Japanese woman arrested for ‘spying’ in China

TOKYO

A Japanese woman has become the third national of the island nation reported to have been arrested in China on charges of spying.

Kyodo News cited sources Friday as saying that the woman – a senior official at a Tokyo school – was formally arrested in November after being taken into custody in Shanghai in June.

They also reportedly said that a Japanese man has been in detention since his apprehension in Beijing in June on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities.

The reports come after China confirmed in September that two Japanese men had been arrested "in accordance with the law" on the same charges.

Those found guilty of spying face a maximum penalty of death.

One of the men arrested earlier was reportedly detained near a military facility in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang in May, and the other in Liaoning province, close to China's border with North Korea.

Japan's chief cabinet secretary had told reporters at the time that he would “refrain from commenting on individual cases," while assuring that Tokyo “will respond [to the matter] appropriately from the standpoint of protecting Japanese nationals [overseas]."

Yoshihide Suga also rejected claims that Japan sends spies to China.