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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Crime & Justice

Taiwan Investigation Confirms Premeditated Cross-Border Attack on Journalist Yaita Akio

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Under investigation
  • Taiwan's investigation confirmed that a Chinese national premeditated a cross-border attack on journalist Yaita Akio.
  • The attack occurred after Yaita Akio gave a speech in Taichung, with the suspect claiming he mistook Yaita for someone else.
  • The investigation's findings contradict the suspect's claim and suggest a politically motivated, hired attack, prompting criticism of a local politician's initial statement.

Taiwan's investigation has confirmed that a Chinese national premeditated a cross-border assault on Japanese journalist Yaita Akio, directly contradicting claims that the attack was a case of mistaken identity. The incident occurred on July 6 after Yaita Akio, a senior media figure and executive director of the Indo-Pacific Strategy Think Tank, delivered a speech in Taichung.

was premeditatedly hired to carry out a cross-border assault, with a risk of repeated offenses of assault.

— Taichung District Prosecutors OfficeDescribing the nature of the attack on journalist Yaita Akio in an official press release.

The suspect, identified as Liao, a Chinese national, allegedly punched Yaita Akio. Police transferred him to prosecutors on charges including the Anti-Infiltration Act. Initially, local politician Lin Pei-hsiang suggested the suspect claimed he had "mistakenly identified" Yaita Akio. However, a press release from the Taichung District Prosecutors Office stated that Liao "premeditatedly accepted employment to carry out a cross-border assault, with a risk of repeated offenses of assault."

This official finding directly refutes Lin Pei-hsiang's assertion, drawing sharp criticism from netizens and political commentators. The investigation utilized Taiwan's "Cross-border Suppression Cross-Agency Coordination Platform," which was only recently announced by Premier Cho Jung-tai. This platform integrates efforts from the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Justice, and Mainland Affairs Council to counter China's "National Unity and Progress Promotion Law."

Don't presuppose.

— Lin Pei-hsiangA local politician's initial statement regarding the attack on Yaita Akio.

Commentators noted the platform's rapid and effective use, highlighting the premeditated and hired nature of the attack. The prosecutors' statement explicitly described the act as "premeditatedly hired cross-border violence," indicating that Liao was allegedly brought to Taiwan specifically to target Yaita Akio. This revelation has led to widespread online mockery of Lin Pei-hsiang, with many accusing him of intentionally ignoring the facts or "playing blind."

Lin Pei-hsiang, can you stop pretending to be blind!

— NetizenOnline criticism directed at Lin Pei-hsiang following the investigation's findings.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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