China has executed a man for the murder of a 10-year-old Japanese boy in September last year, the Japanese embassy in Beijing has announced, the BBC reports.
Zhong Changchun was sentenced to death in January after stabbing a boy who was walking to a Japanese school in the southeastern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
The case shook both countries and further raised diplomatic tensions, with suspicions that it was a xenophobic attack.
"The Japanese government considers the murder of a completely innocent child an unforgivable crime and views this execution with the utmost seriousness," the Japanese embassy said in a statement to the BBC.
"In light of this incident, the Japanese government will continue to take all possible security measures and strongly urge the Chinese side to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens in China," they added, explaining that they were informed of the execution by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The attack has sparked fear among the Japanese community in China, and some Japanese companies, including Toyota, have urged employees to be vigilant. Panasonic has offered employees free flights home, Index reports.
The ruling in Zhong's case, according to Japanese officials, did not mention Japan. Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi said Zhong had asked to speak to the victim's family, but did not say whether the boy was targeted because he was Japanese.
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