TENSIONS flared between Japan and its Asian neighbours after a group of Japanese politicians visited a shrine seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.
Meanwhile, Chinese patrol vessels played cat-and-mouse with a flotilla of Japanese nationalists near disputed islands in the East China Sea.
Beijing protested over the voyage by about 80 Japanese activists into waters near the islands, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: "Regarding the Japanese right-wing activists' illegal entry into the waters of the Diaoyu islands that is causing trouble, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has lodged stern representations with Japan."
Japan also protested at what it called an intrusion by Chinese patrol vessels near the uninhabited Japanese-controlled islands, which are near rich fishing grounds and gas fields.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, asked how Japan would react to a Chinese bid to land on the islands, said it would be "natural to force them to leave".
But Tokyo appeared keen to avoid a clash between the nationalists' flotilla and the Chinese ships. Japan's coastguard, which had 13 vessels shadowing the boats, urged them to leave and escorted them away.
Last year members of the same group, Ganbare Nippon (Stand Firm Japan), landed on one of the rocky islets and triggered anti-Japanese protests in China, where resentment over Japan's wartime aggression has been rekindled in recent days.
China chastised Japan for visits by at least 168 politicians to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, which honours 14 leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal along with Japan's war dead. The pilgrimage came after Mr Abe made an offering and Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and two other ministers visited Yasukuni over the weekend.
Ms Hua said: "We urge Japan to be responsible to history, to be responsible to the people and take a responsible attitude to the future and take realistic actions to win the trust of the international community.
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