China frees Japanese scholar detained for alleged spying

China has freed a Japanese scholar who it claimed was spying during a visit to the country earlier this year, the two governments said Friday.Neither Japan nor China said why Nobu Iwatani, a professor at Hokkaido University, was released. But diplomatic sources said Beijing apparently hopes the release will lay the groundwork for a planned trip to Japan by President Xi Jinping next spring.Iwatani returned home in good health on Friday, according to the Japanese government."Since Hokkaido University Professor Iwatani was detained, the government has been calling for his early return to Japan…READ FULL ARTICLE