The people of China finally quarreled with Japan

After Japan bought the disputed Senkaku Islands from a private owner (in China, a chain of three islands is called Diaoyu), relations between the peoples of the two countries deteriorated at the everyday level. The Chinese are abandoning Japanese cars and stopping publishing books about Japan, and Japanese corporations are stopping their production in the Middle Kingdom.

Beijing municipal authorities have instructed local publishing houses not to publish books that mention Japan, Interfax reports. The ban applies to both Japanese and Chinese authors. The authorities also asked publishers not to organize related cultural and promotional events. Meanwhile, the other day, under the auspices of the State Oceanological Administration of the People's Republic of China, the reference book "Diaoyu Islands - the Original Territory of China" was officially published in Chinese, English and Japanese. Chinese authorities plan to distribute the directory at home and abroad.

A body art artist from Nanjing has painted the outline of one of the disputed islands onto a model's body. Photo: Reuters

Japanese cars and equipment also came under attack. As a sign of protest, the Chinese refuse to use them or demonstratively damage them. Thus, a resident of Shanghai burned his own Honda car at the gates of the company's sales center. In his hands he held a poster with slogans in defense of Chinese sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands.

In turn, some large Japanese companies, mainly automakers, have decided to stop their production in China indefinitely. Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi suspended operations at their factories. Electronic giants Panasonic and Canon followed suit.

Protests in Beijing near the Japanese Embassy. Photo: Reuters

Recently, Chinese customs have significantly increased the time it takes to clear Japanese goods. Tokyo fears that China may take other measures of economic pressure. There are now 22 thousand Japanese firms operating in China. The cessation of exports to China within a month will result in billions of losses.

Anti-Japanese sentiment flared in China after the Japanese government bought Wotsuri, Kitako and Minamiko from a private owner on September 11 for $26 million. The islands are the subject of a territorial dispute between Japan, Taiwan and the People's Republic of China. This caused riots in China, during which protesters shouted anti-Japanese slogans, burned Japanese flags, and attempted to attack Japanese diplomatic missions, shops and restaurants. Protests against Japan's actions are now taking place not only in major Chinese cities. Recently, anti-Japanese slogans were heard in Rome, New York and Taiwan. The Chinese people's dissatisfaction with the Japanese government coincided with the anniversary of the occupation of China before the Sino-Japanese War. On September 18, 1931, the Empire of Japan went on the offensive and occupied all of Manchuria in a short time.

Photo: Reuters