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| China and Japan relations tense after standoff over disputed islands | China and Japan relations tense after standoff over disputed islands |
| (7 months later) | |
| A standoff between Chinese and Japanese ships in disputed waters claimed by both countries has increased concern about the growing tensions in a long-simmering territorial row in the East China Sea. | A standoff between Chinese and Japanese ships in disputed waters claimed by both countries has increased concern about the growing tensions in a long-simmering territorial row in the East China Sea. |
| Tokyo summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest after surveillance ships entered the area around the island group – known as the Diaoyu to China and Senkaku to Japan – which is controlled by Japan. Vessels from the two countries radioed each other with warnings to leave the waters. | Tokyo summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest after surveillance ships entered the area around the island group – known as the Diaoyu to China and Senkaku to Japan – which is controlled by Japan. Vessels from the two countries radioed each other with warnings to leave the waters. |
| There were signs of the row spilling over at street level: a Japanese man in Shanghai was reportedly injured when hot noodles were thrown into his face– the sixth such attack in recent days. | There were signs of the row spilling over at street level: a Japanese man in Shanghai was reportedly injured when hot noodles were thrown into his face– the sixth such attack in recent days. |
| Brad Glosserman, executive director at Honolulu's Pacific Forum CSIS, told Reuters: "The dangers of miscalculation are real." | Brad Glosserman, executive director at Honolulu's Pacific Forum CSIS, told Reuters: "The dangers of miscalculation are real." |
| Taylor Fravel of the security studies programme at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said: "Neither side wants to see the situation spiral out of control, but both felt that they had to act. We should be concerned, but it has not yet crossed a point of no return." | Taylor Fravel of the security studies programme at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said: "Neither side wants to see the situation spiral out of control, but both felt that they had to act. We should be concerned, but it has not yet crossed a point of no return." |
| The island group is surrounded by rich energy resources and fisheries. The sovereignty dispute reignited when both Chinese and Japanese activists landed there last month and protests broke out in several Chinese cities, with attacks on Japanese cars and businesses. | The island group is surrounded by rich energy resources and fisheries. The sovereignty dispute reignited when both Chinese and Japanese activists landed there last month and protests broke out in several Chinese cities, with attacks on Japanese cars and businesses. |
| It became even more fraught when Tokyo's nationalist governor Shintaro Ishihara said the city would buy and develop the uninhabited islands from their private owners, who are Japanese. The central government then arranged to buy them, despite Beijing's protests. | It became even more fraught when Tokyo's nationalist governor Shintaro Ishihara said the city would buy and develop the uninhabited islands from their private owners, who are Japanese. The central government then arranged to buy them, despite Beijing's protests. |
| "From the Japanese side it was the best outcome … Ishihara is extremely rightwing and ultra-nationalist and if he controlled these islands there is no telling what he might do with them. It seems almost like he wants to provoke China on this. The Japanese government clearly does not," said Ian Storey, an expert on maritime issues at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. | "From the Japanese side it was the best outcome … Ishihara is extremely rightwing and ultra-nationalist and if he controlled these islands there is no telling what he might do with them. It seems almost like he wants to provoke China on this. The Japanese government clearly does not," said Ian Storey, an expert on maritime issues at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. |
| Although Chinese vessels have entered the area before, their voyages have not been announced. This time the foreign ministry in Beijing said the ships were there to conduct maritime surveillance and that China was carrying out a mission of "law enforcement over its maritime rights". | Although Chinese vessels have entered the area before, their voyages have not been announced. This time the foreign ministry in Beijing said the ships were there to conduct maritime surveillance and that China was carrying out a mission of "law enforcement over its maritime rights". |
| Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba told reporters: "We lodged a strong protest and also we made a strong case that the Chinese side should leave from the territorial waters around the Senkaku islands. | Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba told reporters: "We lodged a strong protest and also we made a strong case that the Chinese side should leave from the territorial waters around the Senkaku islands. |
| "I'd like to underscore that we should never let the situation escalate and we have strong hopes for the Chinese to respond in an appropriate and calm manner." | "I'd like to underscore that we should never let the situation escalate and we have strong hopes for the Chinese to respond in an appropriate and calm manner." |
| Kyodo news agency reported that the Chinese ships withdrew from the disputed waters on Friday afternoon. | Kyodo news agency reported that the Chinese ships withdrew from the disputed waters on Friday afternoon. |
| China is Japan's biggest trading partner. But deep-rooted popular mistrust endures, fuelled by memories of the brutality of the Japanese occupation in the 1930s and 1940s. Complicating matters further is the impending leadership change in China and a looming election in Japan. | China is Japan's biggest trading partner. But deep-rooted popular mistrust endures, fuelled by memories of the brutality of the Japanese occupation in the 1930s and 1940s. Complicating matters further is the impending leadership change in China and a looming election in Japan. |
| Cheng Li, an expert on Chinese politics at the Brookings Institution, warned that the possibility of military conflict could not be eliminated. "Chinese leaders actually talk tough and act carefully, but sometimes it's out of your control. Chinese public opinion has become so powerful. They have to talk very, very tough. By doing so, they will help enhance the tensions," he told AP. | Cheng Li, an expert on Chinese politics at the Brookings Institution, warned that the possibility of military conflict could not be eliminated. "Chinese leaders actually talk tough and act carefully, but sometimes it's out of your control. Chinese public opinion has become so powerful. They have to talk very, very tough. By doing so, they will help enhance the tensions," he told AP. |
| With popular feeling running high, Beijing saw small scale anti-Japanese protests on Thursday and Friday. One shopping centre in the capital was showing images of anti-Japanese demonstrators and the Diaoyu islands on its giant screen, rather than the usual entertainment videos. | With popular feeling running high, Beijing saw small scale anti-Japanese protests on Thursday and Friday. One shopping centre in the capital was showing images of anti-Japanese demonstrators and the Diaoyu islands on its giant screen, rather than the usual entertainment videos. |
| The phrase "the Diaoyu Islands are China's" appeared almost 2.5m times over 24 hours on the popular Sina Weibo microblog, although it was outnumbered three-fold by references to the iPhone 5. | The phrase "the Diaoyu Islands are China's" appeared almost 2.5m times over 24 hours on the popular Sina Weibo microblog, although it was outnumbered three-fold by references to the iPhone 5. |
| Earlier this week, one man even set fire to his own Honda vehicle in protest against Japan. | Earlier this week, one man even set fire to his own Honda vehicle in protest against Japan. |
| Some Chinese travel agents have reportedly cancelled tours to Japan and Japanese businessmen told Reuters that officials have asked firms to cancel or postpone public events and major sales promotions. This week, the Shanghai government dropped the name of Japanese sponsor Toray Industries from the title of the city's December marathon. | Some Chinese travel agents have reportedly cancelled tours to Japan and Japanese businessmen told Reuters that officials have asked firms to cancel or postpone public events and major sales promotions. This week, the Shanghai government dropped the name of Japanese sponsor Toray Industries from the title of the city's December marathon. |
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