China Japan island dispute and war of words continue
China Japan island dispute and war of words continue. Meanwhile Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has asked China to stop violence against Japanese citizens and ensure safety and security of Japanese employees and companees there
As anti-Japan protest and attack spread to more cities in China on Sunday Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihiko Noda, asked Beijing to prevent violence against its citizens and destruction of property and business premises.
On Sunday once again, hundreds of demonstrators protested before the Japanese embassy in Beijing and Consulate in Shanghai. Japanese businesses have also been targeted by protesters. Interestingly, protesters carried flags and photos of former leader Chairman Mao Zedong as hundreds of police looked on.
“Japan, get the hell out of China!,” some of the protestors yelled before the Embassy.
But the biggest rally was held in the southern city of Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, where police used tear gas and water cannon to drive back thousands of protesters occupying a major street.
Noda was quoted in Fuji TV as saying: “We want [China] to oversee the situation so that at least Japanese citizens and businesses in China will not be in danger.”
“We will continue to take a resolute attitude. But we will also remain calm. Japan will ask the Chinese side to do the same,” Kyodo news agency reported him as saying.
China “must strictly be on guard to prevent harm to Japanese citizens and companies”, he said.
According to the Japanese broadcaster NHK in other Chinese cities, demonstrators looted shops and attacked Japanese cars. Protesters also broke into a dozen Japanese-run factories in the eastern city of Qingdao and Suzhou.
The demonstrators had earlier attacked two Panasonic electronic parts plants in these two cities. The company will decide whether to continue operations after checking the damage.
Crowds also gathered in the southwest city of Chengdu. Toyota vehicle dealerships were also set on fire and many vehicles were damaged.
Protests were reported in dozens of Chinese cities on Sunday. The previous day’s disturbances had seen Japanese businesses and even Japanese-made cars attacked.
On the second day of protest speakers told protesters that while their anger was understandable, they should respect the law.
Chinese state media praised “rational” expressions of anger but warned that violence could backfire against Beijing.
“There has been some irrational behaviour that is to be regretted,” said a commentary on the website of the People’s Daily, the main paper of the Chinese Communist Party.
“Raging expressions of patriotism will only bring joy to the (Japanese) evil doers, put our foreign policy on the defensive and wound the feelings of compatriots,” it said.
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