Key Facts
• In March 2023, a Japanese Astellas Pharma employee was detained in Beijing.
• The 60s male employee was charged with espionage and sentenced on July 16, 2025.
• Beijing’s Second Intermediate People’s Court issued a 3 years, 6 months prison term.
• The trial lasted 15 minutes, with no detailed explanation of the alleged espionage.
• Japan’s ambassador to China, Takehide Kanesugi, attended the trial, a first for such cases.
• The defendant was a vice-chair of the Japan Chamber of Commerce in China.
• He was detained by China’s national security agency before returning to Japan in 2023.
• The defendant has until July 28, 2025, to appeal the verdict.
• At least 17 Japanese nationals have been detained in China for espionage since 2015.
• Five Japanese citizens, including the Astellas employee, remain imprisoned in China.
• The Japanese government has demanded transparency and the early release of detainees.
• China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims the case was handled per legal standards.
• Astellas Pharma is working with Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support the employee.
• The remaining prison term is estimated at 1.5 years, considering pre-trial detention.
• China’s anti-espionage law, enacted in 2014, has intensified crackdowns under Xi Jinping’s leadership.
Summary
A Chinese court sentenced a Japanese Astellas Pharma employee in his 60s to 3.5 years in prison for espionage on July 16, 2025. The trial, attended by Japan’s ambassador to China, lasted 15 minutes and lacked detailed explanations of the charges. The defendant, detained in March 2023 before returning to Japan, served as vice-chair of the Japan Chamber of Commerce in China. He has until July 28 to appeal. Japan has called for transparency and the early release of detainees, as five Japanese nationals, including the Astellas employee, remain imprisoned under China’s intensified anti-espionage measures. Astellas Pharma is collaborating with Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure the employee’s safety and gather information.
