China believes the execution of a Japanese drug smuggler will not affect Sino-Japanese relations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said Tuesday.

According to the Supreme People's Court, Japanese citizen Mitsunobu Akano was executed Tuesday in northeastern Liaoning Province for smuggling drugs.

China hopes Japan will view the issue rationally, as Chinese authorities handled the case in strict accordance with the law, Jiang said.

She said Akano's rights in the litigation and due treatment were fully guaranteed, and that China had notified the Japanese side about the execution through normal channels.

China attaches great importance to developing bilateral relations with Japan, Jiang said.

Jiang said drug-related crime, which is severely punished by all countries according to the law, is a serious crime recognized worldwide for its grave social effects.

China believes death sentence for those found guilty of serious drug-related crimes is an effective deterrent, she said, adding all death sentences are subject to inspections and approval of the Supreme People's Court.

Akano, 65, was caught with more than 1.544 kilograms of methamphetamines, commonly known as "ice," at an airport in Dalian, Liaoning Province, after a security check in September 2006.

Police also found another 1.008 kilograms of drugs in the luggage of Akano's accomplice.

Both were attempting to smuggle the drugs into Japan.

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