China 'formally' arrests Japanese national over espionage

China has "formally" arrested a Japanese citizen on charges of alleged spying, a media report claimed on Thursday.

"China formally arrests Japan man detained for espionage," Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported, citing unnamed sources.

An employee of Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma, the 50-year-old was detained just before his planned return to Japan in March.

Beijing later informed Tokyo about his arrest but allowed only virtual consular access.

In July, China granted the Japanese citizen in-person consular access when he met diplomats from the Japanese Embassy in Beijing.

Around 17 Japanese nationals have been detained in China since 2015 for their alleged involvement in espionage activities.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has sought dialogue with Beijing "in opposing threat and use of nuclear weapons."

"International cooperation is needed to prevent the use of nuclear weapons by nations that seek to change the status quo by force," Kishida told a forum on Sino-Japan relations held Wednesday evening in Beijing.