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A former president of a Japan-China friendship association, Hideji Suzuki, who was imprisoned for six years in China on spying charges, has publicly blamed the Japan's Public Security Intelligence Agency (PSIA) for his arrest. Suzuki alleges that his contact with a PSIA official in Japan, where he received small monthly payments for transportation expenses, led to his targeting by China's intelligence services. He claims these payments and his meetings were framed as espionage activities by Chinese authorities, leading to his conviction and imprisonment in 2019.
Background of the Case
Detention: Suzuki was detained in Beijing in 2016 by the Ministry of State Security and formally arrested after seven months in "Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location" (RSDL), a facility incommunicado.
Conviction: He was convicted in 2019 of violating China's anti-espionage law and sentenced to six years in prison.
Release: Suzuki was released in October 2022.
Suzuki's Allegations Against the PSIA
Contact with the Agency: Suzuki stated that a PSIA official had reached out to him through an acquaintance.
Regular Meetings & Payments: They met monthly in Japan, and the official provided him with tens of thousands of yen on several occasions for transportation expenses.
Blame for Espionage: Suzuki claims the PSIA's actions put him at risk, leading Chinese authorities to deem him an agent of Japanese intelligence.
China's Stance on Such Cases
Espionage Focus: The Chinese government appears to be focusing on the cooperation with the PSIA rather than the specific content of the information exchanged.
Increased Detentions: Since China's 2014 revised anti-espionage law, at least 17 Japanese citizens have been detained on suspicion of espionage.
by jjrs