A: Hey there! Heard any fun news?
B: Not really, what's up?

A: Well, a Japanese businessman working for Astellas Pharma got sentenced to three and a half years in China for espionage.
B: Wow, really? That sounds serious! What happened?

A: They didn't appeal the verdict by Monday's deadline, so it seems like he accepted his guilt. He was detained back in March.
B: Crazy... I wonder what made him plead guilty.

A: Yeah, it's a mystery! And this isn't the first time something like this has happened. Since 2015, around 17 Japanese have been held for spying allegations, and he's the 12th to be sentenced. Their jail terms range from 3 to 15 years.
B: That's scary... I hope they find a way to free those still detained.

A: The government is demanding their release right away. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
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A Japanese businessperson who was given a prison sentence on espionage charges in China has not appealed, finalizing his conviction.



On July 16, a court in Beijing sentenced the man in his 60s to three and a half years in jail for involvement in espionage. He worked in China for many years as an employee of major Japanese drug maker Astellas Pharma.



The Japanese Embassy in Beijing says he did not lodge an appeal by the deadline on Monday.



Sources revealed that the court had handed down the ruling after considering the man's willingness to admit his guilt and receive the punishment.



The man was detained in Beijing in March 2023 by Chinese security authorities. It remains unclear what caused him to make the reported guilty plea.



A total of 17 Japanese nationals have been detained in China for alleged spying since 2015. The man is the 12th Japanese to be given a prison sentence. The jail terms for the Japanese convicts have ranged from 3 to 15 years.



The Japanese government says it will continue to demand the prompt release of the five citizens who are still being held in China.
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Quiz 1:
Who is the individual mentioned in the article that has not appealed a prison sentence?
A. A businessperson from a major Japanese drug maker
B. An employee of Astellas Pharma
C. A Chinese security officer
D. A Japanese government representative

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 1: B

Quiz 2:
What was the nationality of the individual sentenced in Beijing?
A. American
B. Chinese
C. Japanese
D. British

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 2: C

Quiz 3:
How long was the man sentenced to prison for his espionage charges?
A. 15 years
B. 3 and a half years
C. 3 years
D. 5 years

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 3: B