Chinese Embassy In Japan Says It Received Repeated Terror Threats

China's embassy in Japan said on Thursday that it has faced a string of terror threats since early March, including a knife intrusion and a bomb scare, and urged the Japanese side to speed up its investigation and take stronger steps to protect Chinese diplomatic missions and staff.

A group claiming to be made up of former police officers and former Self-Defense Force members mailed a threatening letter to the embassy on March 5, warning of attacks on Chinese embassies and consulates in Japan, Shi Yong, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of Chinese Embassy to Japan, told a press briefing.

Shi said the embassy reported the threat to police, but Japanese authorities did not give it sufficient attention or take strong enough action.

Nineteen days later, an active-duty Self-Defense Force officer identified by the embassy as Murata Kodai scaled a wall and entered the compound carrying a knife, prompting China to lodge solemn representations with Japan's Foreign Ministry and police.

A week after that incident, on March 31, another person claiming to be an emergency reserve member of the Self-Defense Forces sent an online threat saying a remotely controlled bomb had been planted inside the embassy, Shi said. Japanese police carried out a bomb disposal operation at the mission after the embassy called them in.

Shi said the incidents seriously violated international law, infringed on China's sovereignty and dignity, and threatened the safety of Chinese diplomatic personnel and premises. He cited the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which requires the receiving state to take all appropriate steps to protect embassy premises against intrusion or damage and prevent disturbances to the peace of the mission.

More than 40 days have passed since the first threatening letter arrived, and the embassy has made nearly 30 representations to the Japanese side over the series of threats, but the investigation has still not made progress, Shi said.

The embassy again urged Japan to identify those responsible as soon as possible, punish them according to law, give China a responsible explanation and adopt effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese diplomatic missions and personnel in Japan and prevent similar incidents from happening again.