Local authorities revealed further details Tuesday about the killing of two Japanese nationals in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian late last month, including the suspect’s surname and the apparent motive behind the crime.

The suspect, identified only as a 42-year-old man with the surname Yuan, is a Chinese national and a long-term resident of Japan, according to a statement issued by the Dalian Public Security Bureau on Tuesday.

The two Japanese victims — who were Yuan’s business partners while in Japan — were visiting China when they were murdered, the statement said, adding that a business dispute with the suspect was allegedly the motive behind the killings on May 23.

The Japanese Consulate General in Shenyang was notified about the incident on May 25. Local authorities told the mission at the time that the suspect had been taken into custody in connection with the killings.

Given the nature of the incident, the consulate has not issued a safety warning to other Japanese nationals residing in the region, it told The Japan Times on Tuesday.

Relevant authorities of the Dalian city government have informed the victims’ families, who went to Dalian after the incident and raised no objections to local authorities' explanations, according to the police statement. They returned to Japan on Sunday after the bodies of the victims were cremated.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a news conference on Tuesday that the case is undergoing further investigation and that Chinese authorities will handle the case in accordance with the law.

Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Tuesday in a news conference that the government is currently providing necessary support to the victims’ families.