China worker of Japan firm detained over alleged rare metal info leak

A Chinese employee of a Japanese trading company operating in China has been detained by the country’s authorities on suspicion of leaking information related to rare metals, sources familiar with bilateral relations said Sunday.

A Chinese worker responsible for rare metals at a state-owned firm has also been detained, the sources said, as the Communist-led government has been stepping up export controls on the materials essential for cutting-edge technologies.

The two Chinese individuals were detained in March, the sources said. The allegations against them have not been disclosed.

The Japane...