China demands Japan probe man who 'scaled wall' into Tokyo embassy, threatened diplomats

2026-03-24 - 08:19

Beijing on Tuesday called for a probe after it said that a man, identifying himself as security personnel, "scaled the wall into the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo." "A man who called himself a sitting officer of the Self Defense Forces of Japan scaled the wall into the Chinese Embassy in Japan," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing. Threats and protest The man, Lin said, "admitted this is illegal and he threatened to kill Chinese diplomatic personnel." "China is deeply shocked at this incident and lodged a strong protest with Japan," said Lin. There was no immediate statement from the Japanese side on the incident. Vienna Convention violation This incident constitutes a "grave violation of the Vienna Convention, diplomatic relations and severe threat" to the safety of Chinese diplomatic personnel and facilities. "The incident is egregious in both nature and impact and it once again demonstrates rampant far-right ideology and forces in Japan," Lin alleged. Demand for action The ministry spokesman demanded answers from the Japanese government, adding the incident shows Tokyo "does not discipline well its Self Defense Forces personnel." "China urges the Japanese side to get to the bottom of the incident, bring the relevant personnel to justice and give China a responsible answer," said Lin, urging Tokyo to ensure the safety of Chinese missions in Japan and prevent such incidents in the future. Bilateral context The incident comes as ties between the two nations have deteriorated since last year. Tensions have risen over territorial disputes, security cooperation, and historical issues, with the embassy intrusion adding a new flashpoint to the strained relationship.