China Warns of Rising Anti-Chinese Crime in Japan — But the Data Says Otherwise

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Following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Diet comments on Japan's potential response to a possible Taiwan contingency, China issued a unilateral "warning" to its citizens. It alleged that there was rising discrimination and crime directed against Chinese nationals and that "public safety in Japan is deteriorating." However, data from Japan's National Police Agency shows no such pattern.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is openly challenging Beijing's narrative. Experts on China say the alerts appear driven less by safety concerns and more by a political aim: criticizing the Takaichi administration.

Japan Refutes China's Claims

Japan's MOFA on November 21 flatly rejected Beijing's notice warning Chinese citizens of "serious safety risks" in Japan. Officials said Beijing's claims that crimes targeting Chinese nationals have surged this year "are unfounded." They cited police data that flatly disproves the assertion.

According to the ministry, the number of serious crimes involving Chinese victims, murder, robbery, and arson, was 48 cases in FY 2023 and 45 in FY 2024. The lower number for 2024 shows there is no significant change. Provisional figures for January–October 2025 total 28 cases, down from 35 in the same period the year before.

The ministry also noted that the statistics include cases where the main suspect was Chinese, underscoring that perpetrators are not necessarily Japanese.

Share of Chinese Victims Decreasing

Citing National Police Agency statistics, the Foreign Ministry grounded its rebuttal in official crime data.

According to the NPA, the number of Penal Code offenses with foreign victims has risen from 15,917 cases in FY 2022 to 21,248 in FY 2023 and 24,616 in FY 2024.

The number of Chinese victims (including Taiwanese) also increased, but their proportion of all foreign victims fell slightly: 24.5% in FY2022, 23.8% in FY2023, and 22.6% in FY2024.

These figures show no rise in crimes specifically targeting Chinese nationals.

Ke Long, chief research fellow at the Tokyo Foundation and an expert on Chinese affairs, dismissed Beijing's warnings. The Chinese government has presented "no evidence or data" to support its assertions, he noted. He argued the alerts appear politically motivated, aimed at criticizing the Takaichi administration.

Ke also emphasized that Japan should deliver its rebuttals not only in Japanese but in multiple languages to ensure the international community receives accurate information.