The Chinese government has detained two Japanese citizens who are suspected of smuggling goods that are prohibited for import or export.

中國政府拘留了兩名日本公民，涉嫌走私進出口禁制貨品。

The detentions took place in the port city of Dalian in northeastern China on May 18 and May 25. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated that Japanese consular offices in Shenyang and Dalian were informed of the situation. Although the Japanese government has not named the specific goods to protect the investigation, media reports suggest the individuals work for a major Japanese machinery company. It is alleged that they tried to export products containing rare earth materials, which are strictly controlled by the Chinese government.

此次拘捕發生於 5 月 18 日與 25 日，地點在中國東北的港口城市大連。內閣官房長官木原稔表示，日本在瀋陽與大連的領事館已接獲通知。雖然日本政府為了保護調查而未指明具體貨品，但媒體報導指出這些人士任職於一家大型日本機械公司。據稱他們試圖出口含有稀土材料的產品，而這些材料受到中國政府的嚴格管制。

These events are happening during a time of worsening relations between the two countries. A major cause of this tension was a change in Japan's strategy after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that military action might be necessary if China acted against Taiwan. Consequently, Beijing has limited the export of dual-use goods to Japan and reduced trade and cultural exchanges. Furthermore, this follows other legal conflicts, such as the case of an Astellas Pharma employee who was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for espionage. China often uses its control over rare earth elements, which are essential for high-tech and military use, as a tool for diplomatic pressure.

這些事件發生在兩國關係惡化的時期。緊張局勢的主要原因在於日本首相高市早苗建議，若中國對台灣採取行動，軍事行動可能是必要的，導致日本策略改變。因此，北京限制了向日本出口雙用途貨品，並減少了貿易與文化交流。此外，此前還發生了其他法律衝突，例如一名 Astellas Pharma 員工因間諜罪被判處三年半監禁。中國經常將對於高科技與軍事用途至關重要的稀土元素，作為外交施壓的工具。

The Japanese government is continuing to monitor the health of the detainees and is working to ensure they receive appropriate protection.

日本政府將持續監控被拘留者的健康狀況，並致力確保他們獲得適當的保護。