Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Friday confirmed that a Japanese citizen was detained in South China's city of Guangzhou over alleged possession of drugs.

Hong said at a daily news briefing that Takuma Sakuragi was taken into custody on October 31 at the Baiyun airport in Guangzhou while carrying drugs with him.

He is now in the Guangzhou detention center, Hong added.

China informed the Consulate General of Japan in Guangzhou, and Japanese diplomats visited him, Hong said.

"Further investigation on the case is still under way, " He said.

According to media reports, 70-year-old Sakuragi is assemblyman of Japanese municipal government of Inazawa.

Officials in the central Japanese city said Sakuragi is city councillor who was in China on private business.