China confirms arrest of 35 Japanese citizens.

Chinese authorities have confirmed the arrest of 35 Japanese citizens on suspicion of fraud.

The arrests, which began on June 30, appear to be the largest number of Japanese nationals arrested in recent years on suspicion of involvement in illegal activities in China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang. Photo: AP

Xinhua News Agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang as saying that the Japanese government had been informed of the matter. However, he did not provide further details.

"Thirty-five Japanese citizens were arrested by local police on June 30th on charges of involvement in fraud," Geng Shuang confirmed.

China has been working to crack down on phone scams targeting Chinese victims, with many suspected perpetrators being foreigners.

Scammers send fake bank notifications or messages asking recipients to transfer money to different accounts to avoid penalties or receive prizes.

According to Japan's Kyodo news agency, the 35 people were arrested in Fujian province, southeastern China.

According to Vietnamnet.vn