Fourteen Chinese accused of organizing an orgy involving hundreds of Japanese visitors around the anniversary of Japan's invasion of China went on trial yesterday in a case that has sparked public outrage.
Security was tight in and around the People's Intermediate Court in southern Zhuhai, with police standing by to prevent anti-Japanese protests, underlining the sensitivity of the case.
The defendants, mostly suspected pimps, went on trial behind closed doors.
It was unclear how they pleaded, but they face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of "organizing prostitution."
The scandal has sparked outrage in China, particularly on the Internet, and embarrassed Bei-jing and Tokyo.
The verdict is expected today.
State media have said the two-day orgy at a five-star hotel in the coastal city of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, in September involved about 400 Japanese tourists and 500 Chinese prostitutes.
The incident sparked fury in China particularly because it ended on Sept. 18, the 72nd anniversary of the start of Japan's occupation of China's northeast.
No Japanese have been indicted in the case so far, drawing angry comments on the bulletin board of the Sina.com Web site (www.sina.com.cn). The bulletin board has been flooded with more than 34,000 entries on Japan-related issues. The time period was unclear.
"Why were those who went whoring not on trial?" one said.
"Chinese should unite and boycott Japanese goods," said another.
Sina said the defendants included two executives of the Zhuhai International Conference Center Hotel, where state media says the orgy took place. The 22-story hotel was closed after the incident and reopened earlier this month, a hotel spokesman said.
Prostitution is technically illegal in China
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