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Japan boats reach disputed islands amid China row Japan boats reach disputed islands amid China row
(40 minutes later)
Boats carrying Japanese politicians and activists have moored off a group of disputed islands, amid protests by China which claims them for its own. Boats carrying dozens of Japanese nationalists activists have moored off a group of disputed islands, amid a bitter sovereignty row with China.
Some 150 Japanese, most of them nationalists, are on the boats at the Senkaku islands, called Diaoyu in China, which are under Japan's control. A reporter with the French AFP new agency, who is with the flotilla, said six people swam ashore, despite being denied permission to land by Tokyo.
They want to commemorate Japanese dead in World War II, despite being denied permission to go ashore. A group of pro-China activists landed on the islands earlier this week.
China says the event will undermine its territorial sovereignty. The Senkaku islands, called Diaoyu in China, are under Japan's control but are claimed by China and Taiwan.
This is the latest move in an escalating dispute over the islands, which are also claimed by Taiwan. On Friday, Japan deported several pro-China activists who had landed there this week. They lie on a vital shipping lane, and are surrounded by deposits of oil and gas.
The islands in the East China Sea are close to strategically important shipping lanes, offer rich fishing grounds and are thought to contain oil deposits. The stunt by pro-China activists earlier in the week, who have all since left Japan, enraged Japanese nationalist groups.
Emotions have been running high since the commemoration on Wednesday of Japan's surrender in World War II, when China and South Korea both protested against a visit to a Tokyo war shrine by two Japanese cabinet members. They launched their flotilla on Saturday, saying they wanted to commemorate the Japanese who died near the islands in World War II.
AFP says the activists are now planning to climb to the highest point of the island and plant a Japanese flag.
China has said the move undermines its territorial sovereignty.
'Illegal' move'Illegal' move
An AFP news agency journalist aboard one of the boats confirmed that the flotilla had arrived off the main island, Uotsurijima, at sunrise. The AFP journalist aboard one of the boats confirmed that the flotilla had arrived off the main island, Uotsurijima, at sunrise.
The agency quoted one of the politicians, Eiji Kosaka, as suggesting that members of the expedition planned to step ashore singing Japan's national anthem. The agency quoted Kenichi Kojima, a local politician from Kanagawa, near Tokyo, as saying: "I want to show the international community that these islands are ours. It is Japan's future at stake."
Kenichi Kojima, a local politician from Kanagawa, near Tokyo, told AFP: "I want to show the international community that these islands are ours.
"It is Japan's future at stake."
Earlier, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gan said: "Any unilateral action taken by Japan on the Diaoyu Islands is illegal and invalid."Earlier, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gan said: "Any unilateral action taken by Japan on the Diaoyu Islands is illegal and invalid."
Earlier this week, activists sailed to the disputed island chain from Hong Kong in a protest aimed at promoting Chinese sovereignty.Earlier this week, activists sailed to the disputed island chain from Hong Kong in a protest aimed at promoting Chinese sovereignty.
China had praised Japan's "wise" decision to free them, saying in that the speedy action had averted a deterioration in relations. Chinese state media had praised Japan's "wise" decision to free them, saying that the speedy action had averted a deterioration in relations.
Rows over the disputed islands have caused Sino-Japanese ties to freeze in the past.Rows over the disputed islands have caused Sino-Japanese ties to freeze in the past.
China claims the islands have been a part of its territory since ancient times, but Japan says it took control of the archipelago in the late 1890s after making sure they were uninhabited.China claims the islands have been a part of its territory since ancient times, but Japan says it took control of the archipelago in the late 1890s after making sure they were uninhabited.
In September 2010, relations plummeted after the arrest of a Chinese trawler captain near the islands.In September 2010, relations plummeted after the arrest of a Chinese trawler captain near the islands.
The captain was accused of ramming two Japanese patrol vessels in the area, but Japan eventually dropped the charges against him.The captain was accused of ramming two Japanese patrol vessels in the area, but Japan eventually dropped the charges against him.