A Chinese researcher was arrested in Tokyo on Thursday on suspicion of illegally sending research data to a Chinese Company via email.
Quan Hengdao is a senior researcher at a Japan-based Institute for Science and Engineering—Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.
It’s one of the largest public research organizations in Japan—employing more than 2,000 researchers.
Quan has been working for Beijing’s Institute of Technology since 2006.
The institute is closely tied to the Chinese military and national defense projects.
Police in Japan said the data leak violates Japanese law. Unfair Competition Prevention Law.
Reacting to the arrest, Beijing’s foreign ministry is stating they are “seriously concerned.”
Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning urged Japan to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese nationals.
The news comes amid a slew of Chinese researchers getting arrested in the U.S. for stealing technology or trade secrets.
A think tank reported more than 200 Chinese espionage cases directed at the U.S. since the year 2000.
Out of those incidents, over two-thirds happened during communist leader Xi Jinping’s rule.