China has detained two Japanese nationals suspected of trying to smuggle materials tied to rare earths, Japanese officials said. One was detained on May 18 and the other about a week later; Tokyo says both are in good health but has provided few details while the investigation continues. Reports indicate the suspects work for a major Japanese machinery firm. The case follows Beijing's export curbs on certain dual-use goods to Japan and comes amid broader diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
China Detains Two Japanese Nationals Over Suspected Rare-Earth Smuggling
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara attends a news conference in Tokyo Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (Yuki Sato/Kyodo News via AP)(undefined/Kyodo News via AP)
China has detained two Japanese citizens suspected of attempting to smuggle items banned from import or export, Japanese officials said Wednesday, in a case reporters say involves materials linked to rare earths — critical elements that are tightly controlled by Beijing.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters that Chinese customs authorities notified Japanese consular offices in Shenyang and Dalian that the two nationals were taken into custody, one on May 18 and the other about a week later, "in the same alleged case." Kihara said both detainees are in good health but declined to provide further personal details, citing privacy and an ongoing investigation.
In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun confirmed that two Japanese citizens had been detained for violating Chinese laws but offered no specifics about the allegations. "What we would like to emphasize is that the Japanese side should educate and remind Japanese citizens and enterprises in China to abide by Chinese laws and regulations," Guo said at a daily briefing.
Japanese media reports, including Kyodo News, say the two suspects are employees of a major Japanese machinery manufacturer and that one works at its Chinese subsidiary. Authorities reportedly believe the pair attempted to remove materials related to rare earths — a category of critical minerals used in electronics, defense systems and other advanced manufacturing — which could be restricted under Chinese export and customs rules.
The detentions come five months after Beijing imposed export controls on certain dual-use goods to Japan — items that can have both civilian and military applications. While China has insisted the measures do not target routine commercial trade, customs data show shipments of rare-earth magnets from China to Japan have declined since the controls were introduced.
Ties between Tokyo and Beijing have been strained in recent months. Relations cooled after comments by Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, last year suggesting that Chinese action toward Taiwan could, in some circumstances, warrant a Japanese military response — a departure from previous leaders' deliberate ambiguity on Taiwan. Separately, a Japanese man detained in China since March 2023 was sentenced last year to three and a half years in prison on espionage charges, an episode that also exacerbated tensions.
Diplomatic and legal processes are ongoing. Japanese officials have been notified and consular access has been provided, according to Tokyo. Further details remain limited while Chinese authorities continue their investigation.
Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.
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