Japanese firms close China factories hit by protests

The government threatened to arrest lawbreakers and clear websites of protest-related images and posts in the dispute over ownership of the uninhabited Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.

The continuing protests against Japanese interests has started to hit trade between the two countries.

Japanese electronics manufacturer Panasonic suspended some of its operations in China yesterday after protesters attacked two of its factories.

The firm said that its factory in Qingdao will remain shut until tomorrow.

Canon has also suspended operations at three of its Chinese factories for the same period of time.

Chinese economists warned that continuing pressure on Japanese interests could lead to a sharp reduction in investment across the country, with plentiful alternative investment targets available throughout south-east Asia.

Protests flared in cities across China over the weekend, with occasional outbreaks of violence, including the torching and looting of Japanese factories and shops.

In Xi'an, police banned large-scale protests in commercial areas, districts with large populations and anywhere near government offices.

They also warned that the use of texting or online messaging to organise illegal demonstrations was forbidden.

In Guangzhou, police arrested seven people for attacking cars and three for vandalising shops.

Police in Qingdao, where protesters torched a Panasonic factory and a Toyota dealership, also reported arrests.

The tightened security follows demands from Japan that China ensures the safety of Japanese citizens and businesses after least six incidents of Japanese citizens being attacked.

A mere 60 people protested outside the Japanese embassy in Beijing today, far outnumbered by around 1,000 security personnel.

The end of the annual East China Sea fishing ban could raise new frictions. Thousands of fishing boats left ports on Sunday, many of them headed for waters near the disputed islands.

Fresh demonstrations are expected today on the anniversary of the Mukden Incident - the staged 1931 bombing of Japanese railway lines in north-eastern China which Japan used as a pretext to invade, setting up a puppet government, the next year.

foreigneditor@peoples-press.com