A Beijing court on 16 July sentenced a Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma to three years and six months in prison on espionage charges. The man, a veteran executive in his 60s, was detained in March 2023 and tried behind closed doors at the city’s No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court. The indictment and specific acts deemed espionage were not disclosed, and Japanese media were barred from the brief hearing. Japan’s ambassador to China, Kanasugi Kenji, who was allowed to observe the session, said the verdict was “extremely regrettable” and reiterated Tokyo’s demand for the detainee’s early release and for greater judicial transparency. The Foreign Ministry lodged a formal protest with the Chinese Embassy, while the defendant told the ambassador he will consult lawyers about an appeal. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the ruling was reached “in strict accordance with the law” and noted that consular access had been granted. The case brings to at least eleven the number of Japanese citizens who have received prison sentences since Beijing enacted its Anti-Espionage Law in 2014 and broadened its scope in 2023. Japanese business groups warned that the decision underscores rising legal risks for foreign executives operating in China.