アステラス社員、拘束から１年　近く起訴の可否判断―監視強める中国・習政権

　【北京時事】北京市でアステラス製薬の５０代の日本人男性社員がスパイ容疑で中国当局に拘束されてから今月で１年。日本政府は早期解放を求めているが、近く起訴の可否が判断される見込みで、拘束は長期化する可能性がある。「国家安全」を重視する習近平政権の下では、外国人らへの監視が強まっている。
　男性は日本に帰任する昨年３月２０日に拘束されたとみられる。特定の施設などで取り調べを受ける「居住監視」を経て、同１０月に正式に逮捕された。今月１８日には、起訴するかどうかの審査に移ったことを中国側が日本政府に通達。原則１カ月以内、最長でも６カ月半以内に起訴の可否が判断される。（2024/03/20-17:56）

China has started examining whether to indict a Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma Inc. detained in China on suspicion of espionage from a year ago.
   The Japanese government has repeatedly urged China to release the employee in his 50s, but his detention may be prolonged.
   Foreigners are under increased scrutiny under the administration of President Xi Jinping, who attaches importance to national security.
   The employee is believed to have been held March 20 last year when he was to leave China for Japan. He was officially arrested in October that year after so-called residential surveillance, in which he was interrogated at a specific facility.
   On Monday, China told the Japanese government that it began examining whether to prosecute the employee. A decision on whether to indict is made within one month in principle and six and a half months at the longest.