China to release Japanese pharma employee jailed for espionage
The employee of Astellas Pharma is expected to return to Japan in mid-December after serving three and a half years in prison.
A Japanese employee of the pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma is expected to be released in mid-December and return to Japan, according to the Times of India, citing reports from Kyodo news agency and the Yomiuri newspaper.
The individual was held in March 2023 on suspicion of spying, faced indictment in August 2024, and received a prison sentence in July 2025.
Japan's deputy chief cabinet secretary described the court ruling as "extremely regrettable", though the official did not provide the name or specific professional role of the employee.
Astellas Pharma, the Japanese foreign ministry, the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, and China's foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment, Reuters reported.
The case occurs amid deteriorating bilateral relations between Tokyo and Beijing involving security concerns and disputes over Taiwan.
