Two years since pupil of Japanese school stabbed in China

Friday marks two years since the fatal stabbing of a 10-year-old boy on his way to a Japanese school in southern China.

The security of students commuting to these schools in China has tightened since the attack in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, in September 2024.

Japan's education ministry says student numbers at these schools in China have been declining. They have fallen from 3,761 in 2024 to 2,982 in April this year. That is a drop of about 20 percent since the year of the attack.

In a separate incident, a Japanese national in China was injured after being beaten with a stone-like object in July last year. She was with her child when the attack happened in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.

It remains unclear whether she was targeted because she was Japanese.

In July 2026, the head of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, Homma Tetsuro, said that Japanese nationals in China still feel wary of their safety. He called on Chinese authorities to ensure a safe environment.

Friday also commemorates 95 years since an incident that led to the Manchurian incident. The Japanese Embassy in China says the day is likely to draw anti-Japan sentiment. It is urging Japanese nationals to stay vigilant.