It wasn't a big deal

We return to the flag stolen from the ambassador's car in Beijing. It looks like the suspects in the case will get off relatively easily. It apparently helps to reduce your guilt when public opinion calls you a patriot.

行政拘留処分の男２人「現 下の日中関係に不満を持っ て…」

【北京＝川越一】北京市公安当局は４日、丹羽 宇一郎駐中国大使が乗った公用車を襲撃し、日 本国旗を奪ったとして、安徽省ナンバーのＢＭ Ｗに乗っていた河北省出身の２３歳と黒竜江省 出身の２５歳の男に対し、治安管理処罰法に基 づき、５日間の行政拘留処分を下したと発表し た。同日夕、北京の日本大使館にも処分内容な どを伝えた。

当局の発表によると、２３歳の男の名字は 「郭」で、２５歳の男は「夏」。名前は明らか にされていない。当局は事件発生から２日後の ８月２９日、河北省滄州市で２人の身柄を確 保。事情を聴いたところ、２人が犯行を認め た。２人は動機について、「現下の日中関係に 不満を持って行為に及んだ」と供述したとい う。

また、公安当局は２人の男とは別に、公用車 の走行を妨害した北京市ナンバーのアウディを 運転していた２７歳の北京市出身の男を警告処 分にした。

沖縄・尖閣諸島問題をめぐって反日感情が高 まる中、当局は容疑者を「愛国者」と称賛する 国内世論に配慮。犯行は衝動的で計画性はな く、犯罪程度も軽微だとして、刑事事件として の起訴を見送ったとみられる。

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/news/120904/chn12090422190010-n1.htm

2 men in detention: “Displeased with current Japan-China relations”

On the 4 th , the Beijing Public Safety Authority announced a 5 day administrative detention under the Public Safety Administration Law for a 23 year old man from Heibei province and a 25 year old man from Heilongjiang Province who took the Japanese flag in an attack on the BMW with diplomatic plates used by the Japanese ambassador to China, Uichiro Niwa. The details of the punishment were delivered to the Japanese embassy in Beijing this same afternoon.

According to the announcement from the authorities, the 23 year old male’s surname is “Guo” and the 25 year old’s is “Xia.” First names were not released. Two days after the incident occurred, on 8/29, the authorities maintained the two men in Cangzhou City, Heibei Province. When questioned, the two men confessed to the crime. The two men stated, “We are not happy with current Japan-China relations and therefore committed the act,” regarding their motive.

Separately from the two men, the Public Safety Authority gave a warning to a 27 year old Beijing male driver of an Audi with Beijing plates who obstructed the movement of the diplomatic vehicle.

In the midst of heightened anti-Japan feeling over the issue of Okinawa Prefecture’s Senkaku Islands, the authorities took into consideration domestic public opinion which labeled the suspects as “patriots.” They declined to bring criminal charge, given that the crime was impulsive and not premeditated and the extent of the crime was also minimal.