Japanese drugmaker employee indicted in China

A Japanese businessman has been indicted in China after about 17 months of detention.

The man in his 50s is an employee of Japan's Astellas Pharma. He was detained in Beijing in March last year by security authorities for his alleged involvement in espionage.

In March this year, prosecutors started procedures to decide whether to indict the man.

The Japanese Embassy in Beijing says it has been informed that the man was indicted in mid-August.

The charges that he will face have not been revealed. The schedule for hearings has not been disclosed either.

The Japanese government has been calling for an early release of the man. But his detention may drag on.

The Japanese Embassy says it will continue to urge Chinese authorities to release him.

A number of foreign nationals have been detained in China on spy charges since the country introduced an anti-espionage law in 2014.