Japan’s newly appointed ambassador to China collapsed on the streets of Tokyo and died shortly thereafter according to the Telegraph. Shinichi Nishiyama, 60, died after hospitalization and Tokyo Police have thus far ruled out any type of foul play.
In what is a case of poor timing, the ambassador’s death comes right when the relationship between the two East Asian neighbors is at an all time low, with tensions over the Senkaku / Diaoyu islands rising to unprecedented levels.
Today marks the anniversary of the Mukden Incident which Japan used as a pretext to go to war with China during World War II.
Nishiyama’s first order of business was to calm the now turbulent relationship between Japan and China which took a turn for the worse after Japan announced a plan to nationalize the disputed islands chain. Thousands of Chinese citizens protested across the PRC, with many demonstrations turning violent.