A 10-year-old boy admitted in a Japanese school in Shenzhen, China, has died after being stabbed by an unnamed assailant on Wednesday, according to the Japanese government.
According to Chinese authorities, the male pupil was stabbed on his way to school at around 8 a.m. (00:00 GMT) on Wednesday by the suspected 44-year-old assailant, who was nabbed on the spot. Unfortunately, the child died in the early hours of Thursday, Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa told reporters.
What They’re Saying
Kamikawa said,
“I take the incident extremely seriously,”“This should never happen in any country. Particularly, I sincerely regret that this despicable act was committed against a child on his way to school.”
Kamikawa also added that Japan has asked China to give a detailed explanation of the facts and to enforce strong safety measures.
Authorities in both China and Japan have declined to disclose the nationality of the victim, but the website of the Shenzhen Japanese School states it is for children of Japanese nationality. Note that Japan does not recognise dual citizenship for adults.
The attack had occurred near the school on the anniversary of an incident in 1931 that incited war between China and Japan, a sensitive date at a time when diplomatic relations are in danger of worsening.
This is the second such attack near a Japanese educational facility in China in recent months.