Two Japanese men were killed in Dalian, a major port city in northern China, in what Chinese authorities described as a business dispute with a former Chinese partner. The suspect, a 42-year-old man identified by his surname Yuan, was arrested on May 24, one day after local police received a report of the killings.
Yuan, a longtime resident of Japan, had previously conducted business with the two victims during his time in the country, according to a statement issued Tuesday by the Dalian Public Security Bureau. Police confirmed that the Japanese nationals were in China temporarily and that the dispute stemmed from unresolved issues related to their joint business dealings.
The incident occurred in Pulandian district's Daliujia sub-district and was reported to police on May 23. While officials have not released the exact method of the killings, they ruled out any ideological or political motivation behind the act.
"After days of investigation, the case details have been largely clarified," the bureau stated, adding that the case will be transferred to prosecutorial authorities once the review is complete.
The Japanese Consulate-General in Shenyang was notified on May 25 and has since been in contact with the victims' families. The victims' remains have been cremated, and their families returned to Japan on Sunday, according to Chinese authorities. Police said the families had no objections to the process.
Many Japanese businesses operate in Dalian, which holds historic significance as a former Japanese-occupied city following the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. The killings come amid heightened anxiety among Japanese nationals in China, following two stabbing incidents last year that targeted Japanese schoolchildren, resulting in one fatality.
Yuan remains in custody as Chinese officials prepare formal charges.
