China urges Japan to severely punish intruder into Chinese embassy

China on Monday urged Japan to severely punish a member of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces who broke into the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo with a knife, saying the incident posed a serious threat to the safety of Chinese diplomats and diplomatic facilities.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular press conference in Beijing in response to reports that Japan's Self-Defense Forces had dismissed Kodai Murata, the official involved in the incident, on August 28, and expressed regret over the incident, pledging to ensure that its personnel strictly comply with laws and regulations.

"The vicious incident was unprecedented and seriously violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations," Guo said, adding that it had seriously threatened the personal safety of Chinese diplomatic personnel and the security of China's diplomatic facilities.

The incident also exposed deeper problems in Japan, including the prevalence of right-wing forces and inadequate management and discipline of Self-Defense Forces personnel, Guo said.

"We have noted that the Japanese side has brought the person involved to prosecution," Guo said. "We urge the Japanese side to earnestly fulfill its obligations, severely punish the perpetrator, conduct a thorough investigation and make thorough improvements. The international community is also watching closely."