On the evening of November 11th, a serious retaliatory social incident occurred at the Zhuhai Sports Center in Guangdong Province. The following day, on November 12th, the Japanese Embassy in China issued a security alert regarding the incident, reminding Japanese citizens in China to be vigilant and not to “speak loudly in Japanese” in public places.
According to the Zhuhai Public Security Bureau report on November 12th, the above-mentioned violent incident resulted in at least 35 deaths and 43 injuries. The Japanese Embassy in China stated in the security alert that they have not received any information about Japanese citizens being involved in the incident. However, given the recent series of violent attacks in China, the warning advised Japanese expatriates in China to avoid going out alone at night, to be cautious of their surroundings even during the day, to “avoid speaking loudly in Japanese, and to refrain from gathering with other Japanese people in a noisy manner that attracts attention,” especially in crowded places like squares where extra vigilance is necessary.
The security alert also urged Japanese expatriates in China to “respect local customs and traditions, pay attention to their surroundings at all times, especially when interacting with Chinese people, and to be careful with their words and actions.”
In recent years, as China’s economy continues to decline, retaliatory social incidents have been on the rise, with several incidents occurring this year, raising concerns about public safety.
In particular, in September, the stabbing death of a 10-year-old Japanese student by a Chinese man further strained relations between China and Japan. The Japanese government demanded an explanation from the Beijing authorities and called for the protection of Japanese citizens’ safety.