'Asking for trouble': Why Japanese academics are shunning China

The unsettling incident is part of a troubling pattern involving several Chinese academics based in Japan, including Hu Shiyun and Zhu Jianrong, who have also vanished under mysterious circumstances. These cases have prompted fears among the academic community, leading to a decline in participation in academic events in China. Fan’s university has confirmed that he is on leave but has refrained from providing further details to protect personal data.