China Expresses Regret Over Verdict in Feng Jinhua Case

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 11, 2001

China Expresses Regret Over Verdict in Feng Jinhua Case

The Chinese government regrets the verdict handed down by a court in Japan in the case of Feng Jinhua, a Chinese living in Japan arrested for painting protesting words outside the gate of Yasukuni Shrine and sentenced to 10 months in jail with 3 years' suspension.

The Chinese government regrets the verdict handed down by a court in Japan in the case of Feng Jinhua, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue Monday.

Sources said that the court Monday sentenced Feng Jinhua to 10 months in jail with 3 years' suspension, for a graffito on a stone sculpture in front of the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.

Zhang said that China has told Japan several times that there is a political dimension to the Feng Jinhua case, and that the Japanese side should deal with it justly and reasonably.

She noted that China deeply regrets the verdict, and will continue to help safeguard Feng's rights.

Protest Shrine Visit

Feng Jinhua, a Chinese living in Japan was arrested by police on the spot for painting protesting words outside the gate of Yasukuni Shrine in Japan.

Feng, aged 31, from China's Shanxi Province, has been living for many years in Japan. He graduated from law department of a Japanese university, employed in China division of a Tokyo telephone company.

According to Feng's friends, on the evening of August 14, Feng could not control his fury after reading online news about Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi's Shrine visit, and then decided to take action. On 10: 10 pm he rushed to the Yasukuni Shrine and poured out his indignation and protest by painting a red "accursed" on the base of a stone sculpture of a side gate. He was summarily arrested by police under the accusation of "damaging public property" and now held by a Tokyo police office.

"I have not brought shame on the Chinese"

"I have upheld principle and have not brought shame on the Chinese," Feng told reporters assuredly after the sentence. It is said that the Tokyo court didn't mention a single word about the reason why Feng acted that way.

When asked whether he felt somewhat relaxed after result of the case was announced after having been delayed for nearly four months, Feng said that he never had any mental burden, only because of the long unsettled case, he could not return to his homeland, adding that he badly misses his wife who gave birth to a baby girl in China without his company, and he has not seen his daughter; he also misses his parents and elder sister who have given him great moral supports.

Feng hopes to extend his thanks, through Peopledaily com. cn, to all domestic friends who have been concerned about and supporting him, adding that he is making preparation to return home to visit his relatives this year.

By People's Daily Online

'I've Not Brought Shame on the Chinese'

A Chinese Arrested for Protesting Shrine Visit in Japan