Chinese Embassy Issues Alert after 610M-Yen Robberies in Tokyo

The Chinese Embassy in Japan issued a safety alert on Friday after a group including Chinese nationals was robbed of approximately 420 million yen (US$2.7 million) in Tokyo.

The robbery occurred around 9:30 pm on Thursday near Okachimachi Station in the Ueno district.

According to Kyodo News, three suspects attacked a group of five people – two Chinese and three Japanese nationals – with what appeared to be pepper spray as they were loading suitcases into a vehicle.

The victims told police the suitcases contained 420 million yen in cash. The suspects fled the scene with the money.

One of the Chinese victims, a man in his 40s, was sprayed in the face but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

Shortly after the heist, a pedestrian in his 50s was struck by a fleeing vehicle about 100 meters from the scene, sustaining minor injuries. Police later found a blue compact car abandoned nearby.

In a separate incident early Friday, a man carrying 190 million yen was attacked with pepper spray in a parking lot at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. The attackers failed to take the money and fled. Police are investigating potential links between the two crimes.

The Chinese Embassy said it has lodged representations with Japanese police, urging them to solve the case swiftly and protect Chinese citizens.

"We urge Chinese citizens in Japan to remain vigilant, closely monitor local security conditions, and strengthen personal safety precautions," the embassy statement said, advising against carrying large amounts of cash.