Misleading visitors to China won't help Japan

Japan has warned its citizens visiting China about activities that could raise suspicion of their being engaged in espionage, and urged them to beware of "a possible rise in anti-Japan sentiments or demonstrations" in China. Last month Japanese media reported that six Japanese nationals, detained in East China's Shandong province and South China's Hainan province in March, are under investigation for violating Chinese laws.

It is true that China has intensified the crackdown on espionage. Three years ago the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, enacted the Counterespionage Law amid growing security concerns. And a municipal policy issued in April says any Beijing resident who provides useful information on espionage or related activities will receive a reward up to 500,000 yuan ($72,460).

But Japanese media outlets have gone a bit too far by speculating that the number of Japanese nationals detained or arrested in China is "particularly high" and saying it is "unclear" what constitutes an act of espionage in the country. Asking Japanese visitors to avoid taking photographs in place other than tourist spots in China, too, is an exaggeration.