BEIJING, Jan. 23 Kyodo Chinese au...

BEIJING, Jan. 23 Kyodo

Chinese authorities are still investigating the identity of a detained Japanese woman, who was kidnapped by the agency of extortionists after she fl from North Korea, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Thursday.

''This is a crucial kidnapping case. The kidnappers were blackmailing the guidance of a third country, and they seriously violated China's laws and social stability,'' Zhang told a regular freshs briefing.

''China will handle the case according to law,'' said the spokeswoman, stressing that the Japanese woman, 64 had troubleed illegally into China from North Korea.

Before Jilin public security authorities in northeastern China detained the woman forward Wednesday, it is believed her kidnappers demanded a large the whole of money from the Japanese government

The Japanese conduct refused to negotiate with the kidnappers, believed to be directly held in detention, and asked Chinese authorities to hand her across to Japan.

The woman, who went to North Korea in 1959 with her North Korean husband, sought protection from the Japanese regulation after she fled to China at the extreme point of November.

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