China on Friday renewed its call for a thorough investigation into the intrusion at its embassy in Tokyo, saying Japan's expression of regret was "far from enough."

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a routine press briefing in Beijing after Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Friday it was deeply regrettable that a Self-Defense Forces officer had been arrested for breaking into the embassy.

Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

"More and more facts have come to light," Lin said. "The suspect is a second lieutenant officer of the Self-Defense Forces. He chose the embassy’s commuting hours, carried a sharp knife measuring 31 centimeters, illegally scaled the wall to enter the Chinese Embassy and remained hidden in bushes for a long time."

"We cannot help but ask: Who was he waiting for during this prolonged concealment and what was he planning to do? So far, the Japanese side has not offered any explanation."

Japanese right-wing activists tried to whitewash the identity of the intruder, claiming the individual could not be a Self-Defense Forces officer, he said, but they were proven wrong.

"Japan has expressed regret for the incident, but this is far from enough," the ministry spokesperson said. "We once again urge the Japanese side to conduct a thorough investigation as soon as possible and provide a responsible explanation to China."