Chinese IT firms crack down on anti-Japanese posts over school bus stop attack | NHK

IT firms in China say they will crack down on posts that incite anti-Japanese sentiments over a stabbing attack at a school bus stop last week. The incident left one Chinese woman dead and two Japanese people wounded.

On June 24, a man armed with a knife attacked a bus carrying students from a Japanese school when it arrived at a bus stop in the city of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province.

A Japanese mother and her child, who were at the bus stop, sustained injuries, and a Chinese bus attendant was killed.

After the incident, comments slandering the Chinese woman, such as saying she was a Japanese spy, as well as those criticizing Japan were posted online.

According to Chinese media outlets, IT firms including Tencent and Baidu have announced that they will crack down on remarks fanning anti-Japanese sentiments.

Tencent on Saturday vowed to crack down on posts that incite confrontation between China and Japan, as well as extreme nationalism. The firm said it had already taken measures against more than 800 pieces of relevant illegal content and about 60 related illegal accounts. The measures include banning users from its platform.

Observers say it is rare for Chinese firms to announce tighter regulations on anti-Japanese posts. Some people speculate that Chinese authorities may have given the instruction as they were wary of the impact of radical posts on public opinions.