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| Japanese PM criticises China's response to protests over islands dispute | Japanese PM criticises China's response to protests over islands dispute |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has sharply criticised China for allowing anti-Japanese protests over the Senkaku islands to turn violent. | Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has sharply criticised China for allowing anti-Japanese protests over the Senkaku islands to turn violent. |
| Demonstrations were held in dozens of Chinese cities in the autumn after Japan's then prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda, announced his government would buy the islands, known in China as the Diaoyu, from their private Japanese owners. | Demonstrations were held in dozens of Chinese cities in the autumn after Japan's then prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda, announced his government would buy the islands, known in China as the Diaoyu, from their private Japanese owners. |
| Abe, a nationalist who last month became prime minister for a second time, blamed the Chinese authorities for allowing the demonstrations to spiral out of control, and for damaging bilateral business ties. | Abe, a nationalist who last month became prime minister for a second time, blamed the Chinese authorities for allowing the demonstrations to spiral out of control, and for damaging bilateral business ties. |
| "It was wrong for China, as a country responsible to the international community, to achieve a political goal by allowing damages to Japanese-affiliated companies and Japanese nationals that have made contributions to the Chinese economy," Abe said on Friday. | "It was wrong for China, as a country responsible to the international community, to achieve a political goal by allowing damages to Japanese-affiliated companies and Japanese nationals that have made contributions to the Chinese economy," Abe said on Friday. |
| "This will not only undermine the bilateral relationship, but it will also negatively affect China's economy and society." | "This will not only undermine the bilateral relationship, but it will also negatively affect China's economy and society." |
| Noda had hoped the move would avert a more serious diplomatic fallout from the proposed purchase of the islands by Tokyo's then nationalist governor, Shintaro Ishihara. | Noda had hoped the move would avert a more serious diplomatic fallout from the proposed purchase of the islands by Tokyo's then nationalist governor, Shintaro Ishihara. |
| Protesters attacked Japanese businesses, factories and shops, forcing companies to temporarily close their premises and instruct employees to take safety precautions. | Protesters attacked Japanese businesses, factories and shops, forcing companies to temporarily close their premises and instruct employees to take safety precautions. |
| The four-month standoff over the islands, located in the East China Sea, damaged trade ties between Asia's two biggest economies and prompted speculation that Japanese exporters would begin shifting investment to other parts of mainland Asia. | The four-month standoff over the islands, located in the East China Sea, damaged trade ties between Asia's two biggest economies and prompted speculation that Japanese exporters would begin shifting investment to other parts of mainland Asia. |
| The riots, together with a Chinese consumer boycott of Japanese products, cost firms more than $100m, according to a Japanese government estimate. Toyota said its sales in China fell 4.9% last year, the first annual decline since 2001, while Nissan said its sales in the country had dropped 5.3%, the first decline since 2003. | The riots, together with a Chinese consumer boycott of Japanese products, cost firms more than $100m, according to a Japanese government estimate. Toyota said its sales in China fell 4.9% last year, the first annual decline since 2001, while Nissan said its sales in the country had dropped 5.3%, the first decline since 2003. |
| Next week, Abe plans to visit Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand to strengthen ties as Japanese manufacturers boost investments in the region. His finance minister, Taro Aso, recently made a similar visit to Burma. | Next week, Abe plans to visit Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand to strengthen ties as Japanese manufacturers boost investments in the region. His finance minister, Taro Aso, recently made a similar visit to Burma. |
| But the government's chief spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, played down suggestions that Japan was seeking to challenge Chinese influence in the region. | But the government's chief spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, played down suggestions that Japan was seeking to challenge Chinese influence in the region. |
| "These countries are engines for growth of the world economy," he told reporters. "I don't view respecting relations with the rest of Asia as a countermeasure against China." | "These countries are engines for growth of the world economy," he told reporters. "I don't view respecting relations with the rest of Asia as a countermeasure against China." |
| Japan's new 20tn yen stimulus package, announced by Abe on Friday, includes a 100bn yen (US$1.1bn) rise in military spending from 4.6tn yen last year, the first increase in the defence budget for a decade. | Japan's new 20tn yen stimulus package, announced by Abe on Friday, includes a 100bn yen (US$1.1bn) rise in military spending from 4.6tn yen last year, the first increase in the defence budget for a decade. |
| Part of the extra cash is expected to go towards improving Japan's defence of the Senkakus following frequent sightings of Chinese surveillance vessels in and around Japanese territorial waters in the area. Beijing recently raised the stakes by sending aircraft into Japanese airspace near the disputed territories. | Part of the extra cash is expected to go towards improving Japan's defence of the Senkakus following frequent sightings of Chinese surveillance vessels in and around Japanese territorial waters in the area. Beijing recently raised the stakes by sending aircraft into Japanese airspace near the disputed territories. |
| Countermeasures are expected to include the deployment of US-made surveillance drones near the Senkakus by around 2015. | Countermeasures are expected to include the deployment of US-made surveillance drones near the Senkakus by around 2015. |
| In addition, Japan's coastguard will deploy several hundred officers, equipped with more than 10 patrol vessels, in waters around the Senkakus to deter Chinese incursions, Kyodo reported on Friday. | In addition, Japan's coastguard will deploy several hundred officers, equipped with more than 10 patrol vessels, in waters around the Senkakus to deter Chinese incursions, Kyodo reported on Friday. |
| Earlier this week, Japan's defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, said the new defence budget increase would be used to address rising threats to its territory from "neighbouring countries". | |
| Abe, who criticised Noda's "weak" response to Chinese provocations over the Senkakus, said his position on the dispute was "not negotiable", saying that Japan would "resolutely protect this water and territory". | Abe, who criticised Noda's "weak" response to Chinese provocations over the Senkakus, said his position on the dispute was "not negotiable", saying that Japan would "resolutely protect this water and territory". |