China formally arrests Japanese man held since March for 'espionage'

Japanese citizen arrested in China on spying allegations; Tokyo calls for his early release; tensions between China and Japan simmer over territorial disputes, Tokyo's colonial history and other flashpoints. Japan's embassy confirms man's formal arrest; diplomat visited him and the Japanese government in touch with family.

Japan's embassy in China confirmed Thursday that one of its citizens had been formally arrested, months after Beijing said it had detained the man on spying allegations.

Chinese authorities frequently hold foreign nationals suspected of crimes for long stints before declaring them officially under arrest.

The man, an employee of the Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas, was held in March, with Beijing saying he was "suspected of engaging in espionage activities".

An official at Tokyo's embassy said Thursday that Chinese authorities had escalated his detention into a formal arrest.

"We can confirm that the Japanese national detained in March has been arrested," the official said in a statement to AFP.

In a separate statement, Tokyo's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Thursday that the man "was arrested in mid-October".

"We have called on China for his early release at various levels and various opportunities. We will continue this effort," he said at a regular news briefing.