Japanese businessman stands trial for spying in Beijing

A Japanese businessman who has been detained in Beijing since March last year on suspicion of espionage stood trial for the first time in late November, with the hearing closed to the public, a Japanese government source said Monday.Tokyo has asked Beijing to ensure transparency regarding the legal process of the Astellas Pharma Inc. employee, who served as an executive at the company's China unit. His trial is being held at the No. 2 Intermediate People's Court in Beijing, according to the source.The man, who is in his 50s, is a former senior official of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce an…READ FULL ARTICLE